UNIVERSITY OF CAGAYAN VALLEY

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan

Course Title: Foundation of Criminology

Topic title: Atavistic Theory of Crime (Positivist Theory)
Reporter: Bacacao, Jackson B.
Facilitator:
Date: November 2, 2022
Objectives:
1. Discuss how important prison environment to the rehabilitation of prisoners.
2. Distinguish the differences of the best prison cells and worst prison cells in the world.

I. INTRODUCTION:

When we talk about prisons, they are not usually associated with luxury. Prisons
are meant for criminals where they get to spend a considerable number of years of
their lives behind the bars. In some very dangerous prisons of the world, many don’t
make it out alive.

The world is one very big stage with so many countries run by governments with
different beliefs and ideology. Some countries believe prisons do not have to be a
place where its occupants would suffer. These prisons are so “luxurious” that inmates
have a better living condition than some citizens in some poverty-stricken countries
of the world. In this post, we take a look at the ten best prisons in the world.
 II. Here are the “Top 10 Best Prison Systems In The World As Of 2021” based on the
media portals namely: Siachenstudios, Scoopwhoop, and Punchyinfo.

1. BASTOY PRISON, NORWAY

 Location: Bastoy Island, Horten Municipality, Norway

 Year Established and names of the facility:
1915-Juvenile Detention center
1970-Shutdown
1982-2022- Bastoy Prison
 Inmates: 115 Males (as of 2021)
 Staffs: 69 (as of 2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MauMiCL7G9Y

At Bastoy Prison, inmates live communally in comfortable homes. Each man has his own
room and shares the kitchen and other facilities with the other inmates. A meal a day is provided
for them; any other food must be bought from the local supermarket and prepared by the
prisoners themselves, who receive an allowance of $90 a month.

The inmates also earn roughly eight dollars a day on a variety of jobs that include
growing food, looking after horses, repairing bicycles, doing woodwork, and maintaining Bastoy
Island's facilities. Every inmate is offered high-quality education and training programs to
increase their skills.

The prison is on an island one square mile in size and hosts 115 inmates with a staff of 69
prison employees. Only five employees remain on the island overnight.

In their free time, inmates have the opportunity to visit the church, school, or library, and
engage in leisure activities such as horse riding, fishing, and tennis. All the guards have received
three years' training (compared to perhaps six months in the US), and resemble social workers
more than prison officers.

"It is not just because Bastoy is a nice place, a pretty island to serve prison time, that
people change," Arne Kvernvik Nilsen, who was in charge of Bastoy Prison for the five years
leading up to 2013, told the Guardian. "The staff here are very important. They are like social
workers as well as prison guards. They believe in their work and know the difference they are
making."

Bastoy Prison houses perpetrators of serious crimes including murder and rape, yet it has
the lowest reoffending rate in Europe: 16 percent, compared with a European average of about
70 percent. And it’s one of the cheapest prisons to run in Norway.

Ironically, before the current prison, the island was occupied by a brutal juvenile
detention center. In 1915, it was the site of an insurrection by the boys, which was suppressed by
the Norwegian military. The rebellion began when between 30 and 40 boys rallied around four
youths who had escaped and been recaptured. The group refused to work, armed themselves with
farming tools and stones, cut the telephone lines and then burned down a barn with stolen
matches and cigars.

The Norwegian government took over the juvenile facility in 1953 and shut it down in
1970. In 1982, the prison was re-opened as the experimental project that has evolved into the
Bastoy Prison of today.

Not all Norwegian correctional facilities are as progressive as Bastoy Prison, but they all
follow a similar philosophy based on the belief that the only punishment that the state should
inflict is the loss of liberty. The suffering of prisoners is intentionally minimized. There is no
death penalty and no life sentencing.

"Losing liberty is sufficient punishment," Nilsen said. "Once in custody, we should focus
on reducing the risk that offenders pose to society after they leave prison."

Across Norway as a whole, reoffending rates sit at just 30 percent, the lowest in Europe.
Perhaps this is because Scandinavia penal policy is largely left to the experts, as opposed to
politicians and the public. Criminologists design policy based on the evidence and the public
have largely been content to let them do so.

"For victims, there will never be a prison that is tough, or hard, enough," said Nilsen.
"But they need another type of help – support to deal with the experience, rather than the
government simply punishing the offender in a way that the victim rarely understands and that
does very little to help heal their wounds. Politicians should be strong enough to be honest about
this issue."

Bastøy Prison
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Bastøy Prison (Norwegian: Bastøy fengsel) is a minimum-security prison on Bastøy Island, Norway,

located in the Horten municipality about 75 kilometres (46 mi) south of Oslo. The prison is on a
2.6 square kilometre (1 sq mi) island and hosts 115 inmates. Arne Kvernvik-Nilsen, governor of the prison,
leads a staff of 69 prison employees. Of this staff, only five employees remain on the island overnight.
The prison is about one hour commuting distance from Oslo.

Once a prison colony for young boys, the facility is trying to become "the first ecological prison in the
world". During their free time, inmates have access to horseback riding, fishing, tennis, and cross-country
skiing. The only access to the prison is from a ferry that departs from Horten.
Bastøy Boys' Home Insurrection

Before the current prison, the island was occupied by a juvenile detention centre, Bastøy Boys' Home. The
Norwegian government purchased the island in 1898 for 95,000 kroner, and the reformatory opened in
1900. In 1915, it was the site of an insurrection by the boys which was suppressed by the Norwegian
military; this event was later dramatised in the 2010 film, King of Devil's Island. The Boys' Home was taken
over by the Norwegian government in 1953 and shut down in 1970.

The rebellion occurred on 20 May 1915, when between 30 and 40 boys rallied around four youths who
had escaped and been recaptured. The group refused to work, armed themselves with farming tools and
stones, cut the telephone lines and then burned down the barn with stolen matches and cigars. The same
barn had been burned down two years before.

When instructors and guards failed to quell the riot, the military was called in. Over a hundred troops
stormed the island. Also on scene were two seaplanes, two submarines, and the armored ship "Norway"
from the naval base Karljohansvern in Horten. Several of the boys escaped into the forest but were later
recaptured. Officials identified the ringleader of the rioters as a newly arrived 18-year-old "gypsy boy"
plumbing apprentice from Christiania. Three others were identified as his accomplices.

The 1915 uprising did not end the school's strict disciplinarian methods which continued until 1953 when
the Ministry of Social Affairs took over operations. The school was shut down on 1 October 1970.

Prison

Bastøy Island, once infamous for its brutal reformatory, is now the site of the progressive Bastøy Prison,
founded in 1982. Inmates must apply to serve their time on the island. Applications are denied if officials
believe the prisoner poses a threat. In the 38 years the prison has been operating there has only been one
attempted escape. The inmates know how easy they have it and fear the consequences of escaping. If
caught escaping, the inmate is sent to one of the most strict prisons. At the prison, inmates live in
cottages, dine on food cooked by a chef, and enjoy a sauna, tennis courts and horseback riding. The
prison aims to rehabilitate the inmates currently residing there. The inmates live peacefully together, work
well together and depend on each other for resources.

In 2014, the prison was awarded the 2014 Blanche Major Reconciliation Prize for "promoting human
values and tolerance". Bastoy Prison has been called one of the most liberal prisons. Unlike most prisons
throughout the world, the guards and inmates get along. At night, only 5 guards are left on the grounds to
monitor the one hundred plus inmates. Inmates can experience a rough transition. Life for inmates in
normal prisons is dictated for them every second of the day; however, at Bastøy, the prisoners have to
learn how to fill their days with activities.

In popular culture

The prison colony was featured in the DVD extras for Michael Moore's 2007 documentary  Sicko. In 2010,
both a documentary about the island by Michel Kapteijns was released and King of Devil's Island, a
Norwegian film directed by Marius Holst. In 2015, the prison was featured in an episode of Good Mythical
Morning. In 2015, the prison was again featured in Michael Moore's documentary Where to Invade Next.
 Bastøy: Norway’s Island Prison Where
Inmates Work, Ski And Watch TV
David Nikel
Senior Contributor
Travel and lifestyle in Europe with a focus on Norway & Scandinavia.

Follow
Jul 1, 2020,12:12pm EDT

Listen to article3 minutes


Inmates at Norway's Bastøy prison stay in wooden cottages and work on the
prison farm.
GETTY IMAGES

The new high-security Agder prison is the latest addition to Norway’s small but
effective prison system. The 300-person correctional facility is equipped with
a library, work rooms and educational facilities, while inmates stay in rooms
more resembling a hostel than a jail cell.

Norway’s approach to criminal justice focuses on reform rather than

punishment. While Agder is high-security, the differences can be seen even
more clearly in the minimum security facilities, which most people would
struggle to identify as a prison at all.

A minimum security prison on an island

One of the best known is the island of Bastøy. The island of 80 buildings,
beaches, farmland and forest is notable for its total lack of fencing. It’s home
to just over 100 male inmates, some of which are serving time for murder,
rape and drug-related offences. But of the 70 or so staff, only a handful of
unarmed guards stay overnight.
PROMOTED
Prisoner accommodation at Norway's Bastøy prison includes wooden cabins,
to which inmates hold the ... [+]
GETTY IMAGES

Inmates on Bastøy stay in simple wooden cabins complete with comfortable

furnishings and televisions. Many spend their days working the island farm or
training for a new trade. Other facilities include a library and a church, but
inmates are actively encouraged to spend their free time outside. Many cross-
country ski during the winter. There’s even a soccer pitch.

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Visitors arrive by ferry from Horten on the mainland three days per week.
Some are permitted to stay over the weekend in visitor apartments.
Many inmates at Norway's Bastøy prison work on the island farm, and have
spare time to wander the ... [+]
GETTY IMAGES

The only firm rules are that prisoners are required to work in exchange for a
stipend that can be spent in the prison shop and that all inmates must check-
in several times per day.
A holiday camp, or progressive solution?

While critics claim there is little difference between Bastøy and a holiday
camp, there’s one undeniable truth: the Norwegian prison system works.
Norway’s recidivism rate after two years is approximately 20%, many times
lower than in the United States.

Forbes Lifestyle00:2401:12
 2022 Forbes
Holiday Gift Guide:Sauvignon Blancs

When questioned by CNN about the “luxury” conditions, prison governor Arne
Kvernvik Nilsen gave a surprisingly direct answer: “If we have created a
holiday camp for criminals here, so what? We should reduce the risk of
reoffending, because if we don't, what's the point of punishment, except for
leaning toward the primitive side of humanity?”
Inmates at Norway's minimal security Bastøy island prison have free time to
sunbathe or take part in ... [+]
GETTY IMAGES

An unintended consequence of Bastøy’s open approach has been the spread of

the coronavirus. The island prison recorded six positive test results amongst its
inmates. Visits have temporarily been switched to video calls, with the prison
also making use of the technology to conduct its ongoing educational
programs until the infection situation is stable.

Americans taking note

It may seem unthinkable that another country could successfully adopt the
Norway model, yet Norway itself is still relatively new to the approach. It
was reforms in the early 1990s that saw the Norwegian Correctional Service
switch from a punishment-based approach to a rehabilitation-based approach.

In 2015, prison directors and lawmakers from North Dakota traveled to

Norway to examine the system for themselves as part of a wider diplomatic
program. A subsequent revamping of the state’s approach to incarceration
based on lessons learned from the Norway trip helped contribute to a 6.5%
drop in North Dakota’s prison population within three years.

2. HMP, ADDIEWELL, SCOTLAND

 Location: village of Addiewell in the central belt of Scotland between
Glasgow and Edinburgh.
 Year Established: 2008
 Inmates: 700 Males (as of 2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT_0RkULyWc

Addiewell opened in 2008. It houses all prisoner types with the exception of females and
convicted young people.

The prison is situated in the village of Addiewell, which is in the central belt of Scotland,
between the two largest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The prison was built on a site formerly
known as Addiewell chemical works which produced paraffin oil. It was an active site for nearly
100 years, opening in 1860s and finally closing in 1956. 
HMP Addiewell is a learning prison, where residents can address their offending behaviour and
the circumstances which led to their imprisonment through Purposeful Activity.  Undertaking
purposeful activities of an educational, counselling, work or other nature and family contact
whilst in prison is a fundamental element of the rehabilitation process.
Purposeful Activity

At HMP Addiewell we have designed our Purposeful Activity offer to create a learning
environment that supports our resident’s personal growth in response to their identified needs. 
Our aim is to provide our residents with the skills, knowledge and qualifications to enable them
to reintegrate into their community successfully upon liberation. The hope is that all of the
residents currently residing within Addiewell will re-enter society, therefore we strive to prepare
them for a positive destination whether that be full time employment or further education which
will significantly reduce their chances of re-offending.

Addiewell offers 40 hours of purposeful activity per resident, per week and is divided into three
main areas:

 Learning and Skills

 Employment
 Programmed Interventions

We also adopt an effective Peer Support Model, where residents are identified for support roles
throughout the prison. They act as positive role models for fellow offenders and assist staff in the
delivery of classes, programmes, sports activities, induction and offender support services.

Case Management within Addiewell means the approach to the assessment, planning,
implementation, review and coordination of access to a range of services for any Resident. Case
management provides the roadmap for transition back to the community and requires strong
coordination and collaboration among key stakeholders in both the prison and the community.

Case management will place the resident at the centre of a whole system approach and will focus
upon what happens after release in addition to what happens in prison. The case management
process will be a conduit for all aspects of the residents” journey” from admission to their return
to the community, linking in with Health Care, education, work parties and Offending Behaviour
Programmes.
Healthcare, like with all prisons in Scotland, is provided by the NHS.

3. HALDEN PRISON, NORWAY

 Location: Noway
 Year Established: 2010
 Inmates: 250 Males (as of 2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v13wrVEQ2M

Life under sentences shall be as far as possible similar to life in the community.
The punishment is to take freedom from people. Imprisonment shall be no more
burdensome than necessary, no one shall be subject to measures that feels like
additional punishment. Similar to life in the community Halden prison’s facilities and
operations, reflects the principles and ambitions of the Correctional Services in Norway.
Halden prison is the newest and the most modern prison in Norway. Halden prison is
designed to be experienced by both inmates and staff in a friendly, not authoritarian
manner. Therefore, the emphasis is on good relationships, good design, quality of
materials and strength into forms.
Referred to as the world’s most humane prison. And Norway’s second
largest prison.
A. THE ACTIVITY CENTRE:

 Activities for all inmates

 First prison in Norway to integrate:
 Work
 Education
 Programme activites
 Labour & welfare services
 Library
 Service centre
B. WORK SHOPS IN HALDEN PRISON:

 Woodworking shop
 Assembly workshop
 Technique and Industrial Production
 Car care
 Building trades
 Graphic media workshop
 Visual arts and crafts
 Main kitchen
 Laundry
 Cleaning department
 Shop for inmates
C. EDUCATIONAL SUBJECTS:
 Building and construction
 Design and craftswork
  Service and transportation
 Technical and Industrial production
 Restaurant and cooking
 Information technology
 (Sale & service)
 Paint
 Wood work/carpenter
 Training management
 Music
 Communication and media
 Graphics and photo
 Visuell art subjects
 Math
 Physics
 Chemistry

The service centre in Halden prison is acrossfunctional centre that compilesthe

different services the inmate is in need of, related to his sentence in prison, upon his
relase and in his reintegration into society. The available services in the centre is -
among others – labour, social and housing. The centre secures that the inmate receives
the services he is entitled to.

D. Volunteers in Halden prison (visitors and social network)

 Red Cross
 The Salvation Army
 Prison Fellowship
 The Church City Mission
 Church's social services
 Pentecostal Evangelical Centre
 Offenders organization in Norway (RIO)
 Way Back (Offender organization)
 For relatives of prisoners (FFP)

4. Otago Corrections Facility, New Zealand

 Location: located near Milton in the lower South Island, New Zealand
 Year Established: between 2005-2007
 Inmates: can accommodate 335 prisons.
 Staffs: 200
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wR31rOdWgrM

While its security measures are not taken lightly, Otago provides its inmates with
comfortable rooms, and attributes great significance to change through skill building.
Holding classes in light engineering, dairy farming and cooking among other things,
Otago strives to rehabilitate effectively. Local people refer to this optimum jail as the
“Milton Hilton,” as it features everything from rugby courts to fresh towels to underfloor
heating during the cold months.
 Offender training

Activity Capacit Description

y

Carpentry 16
Training The workshop based Carpentry training programmes provides prisoners hands on
Workshop training in the theory and practical aspects of introductory carpentry and construction
to develop the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes to enter the construction industry. The main course project is
the construction of a partial or complete house.

 Provides a pathway into: Rolleston Construction Yard employment

Currently delivering:

 The National Certificate in Building, Construction, and Allied Trade Skills Level 2
 Certificate in Carpentry Level 3

Engineering 10
Training The Engineering Training workshop is embedded with the commercial workshop and
Courses provides an intensive introductory course in Mechanical Engineering trades to prepare
learners for employment in engineering both in the real world or in the adjacent
Engineering Employment activity and as an engineer in the Concrete Workshop.

 Provides a pathway into: Engineering employment

Currently delivering:

 Certificate in Basic Engineering Trade Skills Level 2

 The National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering Level 2
 The National Certificate in Welding Level 3

Hospitality 10
Training The Hospitality Training prepares learners for a range of roles supporting employment
Kitchen in commercial catering. Learners develop their knowledge and skills of a range of roles
required for Commercial Catering and hospitality.

 Provides a pathway into: Kitchens and Catering employment

Currently delivering:

 The National Certificate in Hospitality Level 2

 Offender employment

Activity Capacit Description

y

Kitchen 33 Kitchen prisoners are employed under supervision of Offender Employment Instructors
to provide the prison population with three nutritional meals a day from a national menu.
Prisoners also learn additional skills within the commercial catering environment and
meal distribution. All areas of prison catering operate under an approved food safety
programme. Prisoners are supported to learn on the job towards the National Certificate
in Cookery Level 2 and 3.

Laundry 10 The laundry provides commercial laundry services to the Prison and contract work for
external clients as required. Prisoner’s process, clean, dry press, and distribute laundry
products. Prisoners are supported to learn on the job towards the National Certificate in
Laundry Washroom Procedures Level 1.

Grounds 19 Grounds Maintenance work parties maintain and beautify Corrections land assets
Maintenance through cleaning, mowing, trimming, planting and maintaining gardens. Prisoners are
supported to learn on the job towards the National Certificate in Horticulture Level 2
(and above).

Engineering 24 Mechanical Engineering workshop providing engineering services and products for
internal and external contracts. Prisoners employed in this activity are employed to
fabricate, machine, cut, weld varying grades of steel to produce engineering solutions.
Prisoners are supported to learn on the job towards the National Certificate in
Mechanical Engineering Level 2 (and above).

Farming 28 The OCF Farm is a 130 Hectare dairy farm supporting 400 cows and producing 130,000
KG of milk solids annually. Prisoners employed in this activity experience a range of
general and dairy specific farming roles. Prisoners are supported to learn on the job
towards the National Certificate in Agriculture Level 2 (and above).

Contract Work 22 Contract Work Parties provide a range of services to local government, councils,
Parties charities, and iwi to support community engagement projects through providing skilled
and unskilled labour to construction, forestry, planting, cleaning, and other projects.
Prisoners are supported to learn on the job health and safety.

5. JUSTICE CENTER LEOBEN, AUSTRIA

 Location: Styria, Austria
 Year Established: between 2004
 Inmates: houses 205 inmates
youtube.com/watch?v=fd3iTcU835I
 They call it the five-star jail. The prison houses 205 inmates and was designed by
world-class architect, Josef Hohensinn. On the outside of the perimeter, there are
inscriptions, “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” and “All
persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the
inherent dignity of the human person.” 

According to an old Austrian tradition, judicial complexes (justizzentren) are

always a combination of a courthouse and a prison. According to this principle, the
Leoben Judicial Complex has a court building comprising a district court, a regional
court, and a public prosecution service unit. The attached prison complex has separate
areas for 200 men, women, and day-release prisoners. The former judicial complex was
in the old Leoben monastery in the city center, far from an ideal location for an up-and-
coming city and too small and outdated for the expanding regional court.

In Justice Center Leoben, the prisoner has a private room, a private bathroom;

television and a kitchenette. There are also a gymnastic room and a basketball court.
In this prison, the prisoner can move from one cell to another easily.

6.  Aranjuez Prison, Spain

 Location: Spain
Aranjuez prison is a five-star facility that brings families together.
Recognizing prisons divide families, this correctional facility with 36 cell units
was designed to accommodate families including their infant children for the first
three years of their lives. Aranjuez has cribs with Disney characters on the wall
and playground for kids. The idea is to give inmates that family bonding and
parenthood during incarceration.

Aranjuez: Spain's `five-star' prison for families according to TAIPEI’S TIMES

The jail has 36 cell units for families, but the children can only stay until age three. After
that they are taken away and put with relatives or with social services
Victor Manuel Lozano spends his days like most two-year-olds. He goes to nursery school,
draws, rides a tricycle. The difference is he does it in prison, living with his mum, a convicted
murderer, and his dad, a drug trafficker.

Welcome to a prison Spanish officials say is the only the one in the world with cells for families.
The spacious units dubbed "five-star cells" come replete with cribs and Disney characters on the
walls. Outside there's even a prison playground for the kids.

The idea is for children to bond with their imprisoned parents while young enough not to fully
grasp the reality of incarceration, and for inmates seeking rehabilitation to learn parenting skills.

No one thinks it is an ideal situation -- not the prison psychologist, nor the imprisoned parents
themselves. But the arrangement beats the pain of separation.
"They take good care of us, and having my child and husband with me makes me very happy,"
said Carmen Garcia, 28, Victor Manuel's mother.

"But this is not the best place to bring up a child. In some ways they are imprisoned too," she
said.

Garcia was sentenced to a minimum 10 years in prison for murdering her boyfriend. She met her
husband Victor Lozano in prison. They got married behind bars and she gave birth to Victor
Manuel.

For the toddler, prison is the only world he knows.

At dawn a guard wakes the family up for roll call. At night, after a day playing with other
inmates' children in a yard, Victor Manuel is locked up again. Sometimes he stands outside the
cell crying because he does not want to go back behind the bars.

"For him it's the saddest part of the day," Garcia said.

The prison in this town 40km south of Madrid has 36 cell units for families, although now only
16 are occupied, most with Latin Americans. The children can only stay until age three. After
that they are taken away and put with relatives or with social services, and their parents go back
to regular cells.

"It's tough to be in jail, but in this section you completely forget you are in a prison," said
Ramona Montoya, 33, a lively Gypsy woman who is serving an 11-year sentence for drug
trafficking.

Montoya and her husband Manuel, who was also convicted of drug trafficking, asked a judge to
be able to serve their time in Aranjuez. They had read about the family cells on the Internet and
wanted to raise their fourth child together.

Montoya takes her one-year-old daughter Marina to nursery school every morning while her
husband works at the prison's supermarket. She attends sewing classes. At 9pm, the family is
locked up for the day.

"This is heaven compared to other cells where I have been," Montoya said while showing off the
place she calls home, Cell 113.

It is a room of 14m2, its walls crowded with pictures of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and family
photos. There is a double bed, a crib full of toys, a small bathroom and windows facing outside
prison.

"It's all child-oriented. It's clean, they give you the best milk for the child, the doctor comes twice
a week and the rooms are beautiful," Montoya said.
"The only thing that reminds me I'm in jail is the roll call three times a day," she said.

That comfort, says prison psychologist Maria Yela, creates room for cheating. Many women
with a child about to turn three try to get pregnant to be able to stay in the family cells, she said.

International experts on penal policy said they had heard of no other prison in the world with
family cells. There are, however, many prisons around the world with nurseries and cells where
children can stay with their mothers.

In Denmark there is a mixed sex jail where couples -- with and without children -- spend the day
together in a special wing but then are locked up at night in separate cells, with the child
spending the night with the mother.

"In the US, the idea of family cells would be very challenging because all of them are
segregated," said Denise Johnson of the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents in Los
Angeles.

Not all inmates are eligible for the family cells, which were built in 1998. Pedophiles and other
convicted sex offenders are ruled out. All candidates have to pass a two-month observation
period to prove they are prepared to live together as couples and raise a child.

Some experts believe it is not appropriate for infants to spend their first years behind bars, in any
circumstances.

"It is not an advance, prisons are the wrong place for children," said Frances Crook, director of
the London-based Howards League for Penal Reform.

"There is a lot of evidence that show that they will be affected in the long term. They don't see
animals, they don't see trees, they don't have the stimulation that is needed to grow as a healthy
child," she said.

Spanish authorities say the family cells have been a success but acknowledge emotional
problems may arise when the child is separated from parents. There are currently no plans for
more prisons of the Aranjuez-type.

Yela, too, had her doubts about whether life in prison is healthy for kids, but she said the most
important thing was for the family to be together.

"The bond has to be established between the child and their parents," she said.

7. Champ-Dollon Prison, Switzerland

 Location: Geneva, Switzerland
 Year Established: 1977
 Inmates: houses 500
 Staff: 200
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpu4H8J-KYI

Switzerland: everyday is the same

// Series of testimonials “A day in prison” (1)

In prison, days follow one another but are not always identical. The conditions of
detention, the rhythm of the days, the possibility of receiving visits, medical treatment,
the food, or still the access to the right for the defence, vary considerably from a prison
to another one, from a country to the other one. Prison Insider publishes testimonials of
people who live or have lived in prison and can share their experience. This series of
testimonials “A day in prison” puts into words the varying realities of
imprisonment around the world.

Inma is incarcerated in the prison of Champ-Dollon in Switzerland. She

speaks about the ritornello of a day spent in detention.

I DON’T NEED TO set the television as an alarm clock to wake me up every morning;
my biological clock is more than set. Just today I have served 11 months in jail, enough
time for many things to become usual.

Honestly, our breakfasts are privileged, because when

we work we have money to buy good coffee

Preparing breakfast
I open my eyes; it must be 6:50am. I stay in my bunk until I hear the whistle that opens the locked
door which keeps the cells closed and isolated. When I hear the whistle, I empty the thermoses of
hot water under the bed and refill them with hotter water to prepare breakfast. Normally, in the
previous day’s meal you receive a small packet of coffee, Nesquick, margarine and jam, which you
can use with leftover bread to make breakfast.
At 7am sharp, a guard opens the door and shouts “hot water”. It’s when I leave the cell with the two
thermoses, mine and my prison mate’s, to get hot water to prepare our breakfast. Honestly, our
breakfasts are privileged, because when we work we have money to buy good coffee, good tea,
biscuits, butter, boiled eggs, some fruits, etc. But we have to pay for that. They don’t give us sugar,
so we always have some packets that we buy to give to the new girls that arrive.
In the beginning, it was hard for me to get used to the
schedule, but after a year here, I’m now used to it.

Every day is the same.

After the hot water, the supervisor walks around for “requests” and that’s when we need to indicate
everything that we need. For example, toilet paper, forms, paper and envelopes, needle and thread,
bikes. I ask for a bike everyday, so I can do some sort of sporting activity, since we have less and
less work on the women’s unit (Champ-Dollon is a men’s prison). There are some workshops where
we sew, draw, read and make bracelets. It’s not a job per se, but for participating we receive 16CHF
per day, about 300CHF per month. Since November, there have been numerous guards who are
“sick”. It’s a type of strike that they do because part of their salary was taken away, but undoubtedly
the ones who suffer are the prisoners ourselves, because of the fact that there are no guards to
supervise the workshops, which means that we have to stay in our cells for 23 hours, except for the
hour “walkaround” at 4pm.
We eat at 11am.
We have dinner at 5 pm.
In the beginning, it was hard for me to get used to the schedule, but after a year here, I’m now used
to it.

The quality of food is acceptable, although there aren’t many fruits or vegetables.
Everything is fried, refried and “recycled”.
During the day, if we don’t go to the workshops, I dedicate myself to writing (I’m preparing a book of
poems), painting in watercolours or mandalas … After the meal at 11am, I try to take a short nap. I
use to fall asleep while reading something. Afterwards, we have an hour-long walk around the
courtyard. Then, they serve dinner and later, some television and reading. Every day is the same.

Approximately One km from the village across the route de Jussy lies the Maximum Security
Prison of Champ-Dollon, which is officially part of the municipality. It employs about 200
people and houses 500 inmates and it was built in 1977 to house 200 inmates. Over 60% of the
prisoners are awaiting trial which has caused significant overcrowding and 80% of the prisoners
are of Foreign Origin.

Wide clean rooms with the basic facilities for the prisoners devoid of any discomfort, the
Champ-Dollon a natural haven for the perjured. This was not the state of the prison earlier; it was
overcrowding, with diseases and riots in a very serious lowly state. In 2011, with a funding of
more $40 million the prison had a revamp which is as it looks now refurbished and spacious.

8. Sollentuna Prison, Sweden

 Location: Geneva, Switzerland

 Year Established: 1977
 Inmates: houses 500
 Sweden is one of the best Scandinavian countries to live and its
Sollentuna prison is reminiscent of that. This prison looks like a five-
star hotel with inmates having access to well-furnished cell rooms,
private kitchens, a state-of-the-art gym and recreational centres.
9. JVA FUHLSBUETTEL PRISON, GERMANY
 Location: Lower Saxony, Germany.
 Year Established: 1710 to 1724

Many long-serving offenders reside in this Hamburg prison. It

offers spacious cells with beds, a sofa, a separate bathroom, and
a toilet, also plenty of natural light. JVA Fuhlsbuettel provides its
inmates with laundry machines, access to a conference room, and
also a leisure area, among other amenities.
While the German prison has been criticized for offering freedom
to the prisoners, the JVA Fuhlsbuettel Prison still offers a myriad
of amenities to the inmates. Along with expensive cells, the prison
offers washing machines and telephone corners for inmates who
want to talk to their families over a long distance. As mentioned
by News 18, the prison also redecorates the floors after short
intervals for inmates who are serving long sentences.
This prison in Hamburg looks more like a castle than a jail. Serving
inmates enjoy cells equipped with bed, couch, desk, private bathroom
and a shower. Prisoners have access to various recreational activities
and a conference room. This is without doubt one of the best prisons
in the world.

JVA Fuhlsbuettel Prison

During the final period of WWII, it was also a satellite camp of Hamburg's large
Neuengamme concentration camp. There is a memorial for the camp nearby
commemorating the time when this prison was used during the Nazi era in Germany. 

It was renovated and reopened in 2011 and reports have mentioned that Fuhlsbuettel
has sofas, workstations, and private bathrooms. 
Germany's Hamburg Luxury prison
A peek inside Germany's JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison shows swanky cells, washing machines, spotless
floors and recreation rooms with telephone corners for inmates serving long sentences. 
Cell for inmates
German prison officers look through a window of a cell for inmates serving long sentences in a newly
renovated floor of the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011. 
Washing Machines
Washing machines are pictured at room with barred window at a newly renovated floor with cells for
inmates serving long sentences in the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011.  
The telephone corner
Picture shows the telephone corner of a recreation room for inmates serving long sentences in a newly
renovated floor of the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011.  
  Peek inside a cell
An open door shows a part of a cell for inmates serving long sentences in a newly renovated floor of
the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011. 
 General view from a cell
General view out of the barred window of a cell for inmates serving long sentences in a newly
renovated floor of the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011. 
Comfort space for inmates
A general view of a cell for inmates serving long sentences in a newly renovated floor of the JVA
Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011. 
 Media clicks the cells
Media make pictures of a German prison officer as he closes the door of a cell for inmates serving long
sentences in a newly renovated floor of the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011.
 Entry into a cell
A German prison officer enters a cell for inmates serving long sentences in a newly renovated floor of
the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011.
Newly renovated floor
A German prison officer removes decoration at a newly renovated floor for inmates serving long
sentences in the JVA Fuhlsbuettel prison in Hamburg, January 13, 2011.

10. San Pedro prison or El penal de San Pedro (Saint Peter's Prison)

 Location: La Paz, Bolivia
 Year Established:
is the largest prison in La Paz, Bolivia and is renowned for being a society within
itself. Significantly different from most correctional facilities, inmates at San Pedro
have jobs inside the community, buy or rent their accommodation, and often live with
their families. The sale of cocaine base to visiting tourists gives those inside a
significant income and an unusual amount of freedom within the prison walls. Elected
leaders enforce the laws of the community, commonly through stabbing. The prison
is home to nearly 3,000 inmates (not including the women and children that live
inside the walls with their convicted husbands), with additional guests staying in the
prison hotel.[1][2]
The book Marching Powder, written by Rusty Young and published in 2003, describes the
experiences of the British inmate Thomas McFadden who became known for offering prison tours to
tourists. Another book El Choco, by Markus Lutteman, was published in 2007 and tells the story
about Jonas Andersson, a Swedish inmate who offered prison tours to tourists from Posta, the
richest area of San Pedro.
 Contents

 1Prison layout
 2Prison guards
 3Section committees
 4Housing and real estate
 5Demographics
 6Income
 7Tourism
 8Laws
 9See also
 10References
 11External links

Prison layout[edit]
The prison was originally designed to hold 600 inmates and now holds nearly 3000 inmates. Inmates
must purchase their own cells from other inmates because cells are not assigned by or run by any
uniformed prison officials. The names of the housing section are Posta, Pinos, Alamos, San Martin,
Prefectura, Palmar, Guanay and Cancha. Of those, Posta, Pinos, and Alamos are considered the
higher end communities and act similar to gated communities. Each section has a rating that
indicates its housing quality. Representatives of the higher end communities usually lock non-
residents out around 9:00 p.m. The lower end communities are said to house the drug addicted
inmates and are identified as the most dangerous at nighttime where most stabbings occur. Each
section operates like a small village or neighborhood, with its own courtyard, restaurants, markets,
and services.[3][4]
The wealthiest area, "La Posta", provides inmates with private bathrooms, a kitchen, and cable
television; such cells are sold for around 1,500-1,800 Bolivianos. Wealthier inmates can buy luxury
cells that may include three floors and a hot tub. One inmate paid for a second floor extension to be
built on his cell, giving him views across the city. However, most of those inside the prison live in
cramped conditions with it being common for single-room cells to accommodate five people. [2]
Almost all living sections contain market stalls and places to play games such as billiards, poker,
chess, or, in some, video games. The canteen and restaurants are owned and run by the inmates,
while other places sell ingredients for those with kitchens to cook for themselves. [1][2]
One of the larger open areas doubles as a small football pitch, with teams representing each sector
regularly competing. Within the walls there is also a hotel for visiting guests, a hospital, and multiple
churches.[1][2]

Prison guards[edit]
San Pedro prison is guarded by police officers rather than a hired civilian force as in many western
countries. Their primary job is to patrol the border of the prison walls. Latin American prisons like
San Pedro are often referred to as “depósitos” or “warehouses” because guards/officers are only
concerned with keeping inmates confined in the prison (and stopping riots) without regard for what
happens to them inside.[5] The reason for this disregard of prison conditions is rooted in a lack of
authority. Bolivian judicial authority is maintained throughout the inmate’s sentence, giving the penal
system itself no control over what happens to the inmate. As sociologist Christopher Birkbeck puts it,
“Those who staff the penal bureaucracy are merely custodians for the judicial system and they
generally know it.”[5] They don’t carefully control what the inmates do within the prison because they
have no legal authority to punish or reward their behavior.
Such lack of authority, coupled with the economic hardships of living in a poverty-stricken country,
makes the guards especially vulnerable to bribery by inmates. Such bribery is demonstrated in the
prison’s issue with cocaine trafficking. Guards are commonly bribed by prisoners to assist in the
trafficking of drugs in and out of the prison. Bribery is so interwoven into the country’s corrections
that inmates must sometimes bribe officials to even receive a trial, in addition to paying any lawyer
fees necessary to plead their case.[6]

Section committees[edit]
There are eight democratically elected section committees. The committee in charge of each section
manages it. They perform various maintenance duties like sidewalk repair and the painting of walls.
A director sets an assessment charge for inmates and each committee is responsible for its own
budget. Inmates who wish to be part of one of the committees must campaign. The various positions
include representative, treasurer, discipline secretary, culture and education secretary, sports
secretary, and health secretary. To be eligible for a position an inmate must have lived in the prison
for more than six months, have an un-mortgaged cell and have no outstanding debt. Despite being
fairly governed by inmates without guards, disciplinary secretaries are in charge of disciplinary
actions to end disputes and punish those who don’t follow the rules. Section representatives also
have the power to send inmates to isolation cells which resemble cells at a traditional prison with
official prison guards who patrol the area and give the prisoners their meals. Prisoners in isolation
are not allowed the same freedoms as those in the regular prison areas. Inmates who continue to
misbehave after being in isolation can be transferred by request of a section representative to the
maximum-security prison Chonchorro. The reception committee, made up of volunteer inmates,
protects newcomers by greeting them when they enter the prison and advises them of the rules they
should respect.[3][4]

Housing and real estate[edit]

When an inmate enters the prison they can either purchase a cell from the prison mayor or through a
freelance real estate agent. The mayor charges around 50 percent more than the freelance agents
and housing in the prison varies between $20 and $5,000 depending on the quality. Freelance
agents who work on commission place advertisements in prison restaurants and bulletin boards. A
nonrefundable fee of around 20 to 25 percent is charged when inmates purchase a cell. This fee
covers community maintenance, administration, cleaning, renovating and occasional social events
such as Prisoner’s Day. Prisoner’s Day occurs every September. Section leaders barbecue and hire
a live band to come and play for the inmates. If a cell is available and the inmate pays his entrance
fee, sections usually don’t deny an inmate; however, the more expensive sections sometime require
a resident to recommend an applicant and some representatives can expel residents for smoking
cocaine. Each owner of a cell holds a title to the property that contains the room number, location,
and a brief description, the name of the previous owner and the sale price. Inmates who have
agreed on a price make copies of the title and give them to their section leader who watches as
inmates sign a sale purchase contract and then verifies the transaction and stamps the contract with
the section's official seal. A witness signs as well to verify the exchange. If an inmate cannot afford a
cell they can rent a space from someone who owns multiple cells. Some sections will also allow a
poor prisoner to stay in a small room if he works for the section. [3][4]

Demographics[edit]
Aside from the 1,500 prisoners and the guards there are numerous others inside the prison walls.
The wives and children of the inmates often stay inside the walls but are allowed to come and go as
they please. Without the income of the husband they often cannot afford to live by themselves in the
city. They will often provide an important link with the outside and can bring items into the prison that
are sold from the market stalls or directly from cells. The 200 children are cared for in two nurseries
inside the prison walls or are educated in nearby schools; they spend the rest of their time playing
within the prison grounds.[1][2]
Many of the mothers of children who are imprisoned are located at the women's prison of
Miraflores which is also in La Paz. It houses over 400 children who come with their mothers when
they have no other choice. Conditions within Miraflores are similar to San Pedro in terms of inmate
responsibility and rule making. However, Miraflores has more police security and is considered a
high security prison.[7]
Around 80% of the inmates are serving sentences or awaiting trial for drug-related offences, and
around 75% of the total prisoner population are awaiting trial. There are on average four deaths
every month inside the prison from natural causes or from violent attacks. The police rarely enter the
prison.[1]
Unlike in many other countries, inmates here have the right to vote in the Bolivian national elections.
Political candidates visit the prison to try to increase their support inside the community. [8]

Income[edit]
There are several sources of income for the prisoners and those who run the establishment. Embol,
the Bolivian brewery which owns the exclusivity rights to produce Coca-Cola in Bolivia, has a deal
whereby their products are advertised and sold inside the prison and rival brands are banned. In
return they provide cash, tables, chairs, and umbrellas for the grounds. Most prisoners have jobs
such as messengers, hairdressers, and shopkeepers, with many profiting from the tourist trade.
Many inside the prison work as tour guides or sell handmade crafts to the visitors, and tourism
provides many of them with a source of income. There is also a gambling trade, with betting on the
inter-section football matches being worth up to US$20,000 a year. Players are also sometimes
bought and sold between teams.[1][2]
Cocaine is produced inside the compound with large laboratories producing a significant amount of
the drug while other inmates utilise crude processing systems in their own cells. Consequently the
amount of drug use and addiction around the prison is very high. The cocaine is then trafficked
outside, meaning that the prison is a large supplier of the drug. Alcohol is also widely available and
its sale is an important source of income for some of those inside the prison. [2]

Tourism[edit]
Although tourism in the prison of San Pedro is illegal, many entrants can gain access to a tour by
bribing the guards at the perimeter. Those who wish to tour the prison must first be snuck in by
someone who knows the way in from the outside. Tourist are taken into a room and their names are
entered into a registry book along with their passport numbers. Guards then mark the tourist’s arms
with a number that corresponds to their name in the book and that serves as their identification as
tourists and allows them to exit the prison once the tour is over. The fee to enter the prison is around
$57 US dollars or 400 boliviano. After being patted down by the guards entrants are told to make
sure they leave before 6pm and not to take any pictures. Despite the perceived dangers and legal
issues regarding the tours, the prison is estimated to have once had approximately 50 tours daily. [3][9]
[10]
 Tourism of the prison is conducted in many ways like tourism in any other place. The host is
usually a tour guide - someone with intensive knowledge of the history, layout, rules and regulation
of the prison. Once inside the prison, tourists are introduced to their tour guide and bodyguard and
asked to register their information once again before the tour begins. Many people from around the
globe have traveled to La Paz in order to visit “one of the most interesting prisons in the world”. [11]
Laws[edit]
Inside San Pedro prison the inmates have developed their own laws and rules. [1] Annually, each
sector elects a delegate (leader) and a financial secretary. There is little tolerance for those who
have committed crimes against women or children and they are strongly disciplined by other
inmates. Many are killed, and those who survive must pay for the services of the prison hospital. [12]

See also

A Glimpse Inside San

Pedro: Bolivia’s Self-Run
Prison
SOUTH AMERICA

BOLIVIA

San Pedro Prison | © Danielle Pereira/Flickr

Culture Trip
12 February 2020

View

Right in the heart of La Paz’ middle class San Pedro neighborhood lies one of the world’s most notorious prisons.
Cárcel de San Pedro (San Pedro Prison) reached international fame in 2003 when Australian law graduate Rusty
Young released his first novel, Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America’s
Strangest Jail. The bestselling book captivated readers for its harrowing insight into the lawlessness and corruption
inside the now-infamous jail. After all, this is a prison that is completely self-run, where police only patrol the
perimeter to thwart potential escape efforts, leaving governance entirely in the hands of the criminals inside.

Three thousand inmates cram into the chaotic prison that was originally designed for just 600. They are not assigned
rations or accommodation by the state, instead relying on the generosity of family members or income from menial
jobs on the inside. There are a number of employment opportunities inside the jail, from bar tenders, chefs, waiters
and shopkeepers, to security guards, politicians and real estate agents. Some years ago, there were even guided
tours given inside the prison. Corrupt guards would allow English-speaking guides to escort foreign tourists through
the complex, some of whom stayed overnight to enjoy wild, cocaine-fueled parties.

Prisoner | © Danielle Pereira

Much like life in the free world, society inside the prison is divided into classes depending on the economic wealth of
the inmate. The poorest reside in notoriously dangerous sections which are crammed full of addicts sharing with up to
five people in a cell designed for one. But the quality of accommodation increases dramatically for those with financial
means, with the richest living in fancy, gated communities that are segregated from the rest. Many of these are
corrupt businessmen, politicians or narco-traffickers who enjoy luxuries such as flat-screen TVs, wifi, or even
Jacuzzis.
Living quarters | © Danielle Pereira/Flickr
The process of purchasing accommodation is surprisingly formal. Available cells are advertised on leaflets throughout
the complex and buyers purchase their cells directly from the prison mayor or through a freelance real estate agent.
Taxes must be paid on real estate to cover things like maintenance, security, cleaning, renovation, and even the
occasional event. After agreeing on a price, titles are signed in front of an authorized witness who verifies the details
and formalizes the transaction with an official seal. Prices range from US$20 for floor space in a cramped cell to
US$5,000 or more for the prison’s finest apartments. Those who cannot afford to buy a cell can rent one for cash or
in exchange for work.
Restaurant and courtyard | © Danielle Pereira/Flickr
The prison also has a remarkably well-structured political system. Each section has its own administrative officials
who oversee housing, security, punishment and sanitation arrangements. Their salaries come from funds raised by
internal fees and taxes, which are managed by the prison treasurer. A prison mayor is democratically elected on an
annual basis, and enjoys the highest authority in the community.

Prison football match | © Danielle Pereira/Flickr

Due to a lack of police presence inside the facility, large-scale cocaine production is undertaken to bring much-
needed income into the community. Huge, elaborate labs produce what is said to be the country’s finest cocaine,
while smaller clandestine operations produce just enough to supply the prison’s many addicts. The good stuff is
smuggled out daily through visiting family members, a practice casually referred to as negocios (business).
Unsurprisingly, addiction is rife throughout the complex. The majority of users smoke base, leftover residue from the
production process that is highly addictive. Eighty percent of inmates are inside for drug-related offences, and 75
percent are still awaiting trial.

Kitchen | © Danielle Pereira/Flickr

Women are forced to live on the inside with their husbands as they can’t afford to support themselves alone. Many
bring their children with them, who only leave once a day to attend a nearby school. Life on the inside leaves the
women and children vulnerable to abuse, resulting in frequent occurrences of rape. The worst of which caused the
death of a young child whose perpetrator was later caught and beaten to death in what is known as justicia
comunitaria (community justice).

Prison swimming pool | © Danielle Pereira/Flickr

The Bolivian government has been planning the prison’s closure for years now due to overcrowding, rampant drug
production and the inability to protect innocent family members from abuse. It also happens to occupy a large portion
of prime inner-city real estate, undoubtedly worth significant money. Upon closure, most prisoners will be sent to
Chonchocoro, a notoriously harsh and strictly controlled prison in the impoverished city of El Alto. Every time the
issue is brought up the inmates riot in a desperate attempt to protect their homes and community. As bad as San
Pedro may seem, living conditions for even the poorest residents are preferable to those of Chonchocoro.

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