Prison
Conditions
Remissions.
As a general rule, prisoners are released on parole before
the period for which they have been sentenced has expired.
Normally, they are released once they have served at least
two-thirds of their sentence, which must at least be 2
months, including time spent in custody. In special circumstances,
a prisoner can be released on parole after half of the
sentence has expired, but this rarely occurs.
Work/education.
There are compulsory work schemes for prisoners. However,
those serving short prison sentences may avoid having
to participate in these schemes if it is difficult to
find appropriate work activities for them. Prisoners are
paid for their work.
Prisoners can participate in programs run by the Ministry
of Education. These programs are offered at all educational
levels (primary, secondary and tertiary).
Amenities/privileges.
Prisoners have visitation rights, postal correspondence
rights, the right to lodge written complaints, and the
right to be allowed outdoors for at least an hour each
day.
Most prisons have a priest who holds regular church services
for prisoners and helps organize social events. At the
larger prisons, there are also social workers and sports
and recreation advisors whom prisoners can consult. Prisoners
are normally allowed to have televisions, radios and magazines
in their cells. In special circumstances, they are also
allowed to leave prison for short periods, such as to
visit a sick relative.
There
are special treatment programs for prisoners, and ordinary
medical services, and it is possible to transfer prisoners
to other institutions for special treatment if necessary.
It
is also possible for a prisoner addicted to drugs to enter
into a special contract with the prison authorities. Serving
on contract is a "Mutual Agreement Programming" (MAP),
and are an alternative way of serving a sentence . In
this contract, the prison authorities can offer and provide
more privileges on the condition that the prisoner promises
not to use drugs and agrees to undergo regular urine tests
to ensure the promise is being kept.
Many
inmates participate in the "Program activity".
"New Start", which is based on "Cognitive
Skills Training Program" after a Canadian model.
The program includes 36 sessions, each 2 hours. The purpose
is to teach every single participant to show a more conscious
attitude regarding his own future, through focus on what
shapes life, namely the decisions we make. This is not
therapy, but a learning situation.
There
are also a "Drug program" and a "Master
your anger" program.
The
organization of a prison
All
large prisons have their own governor. There is also a
governor for each prison district. The country is divided
into six prison districts. At each individual institution
in the district, an inspector is in charge.
These are the people who are responsible for the daily
management of the institution, and it is the governor
or the inspector who is authorized to make most of the
decisions in the prisons. It is usually the governor who
grants or denies applications from the prisoners. It is
for example the governor who decides whether applications
for leaves or applications for permission to use private
funds to buy things, will be granted or not. When the
Prison Board is to decide the application, the governor
may in some cases deny it. This is for example the case
if you apply for an early release in accordance with the
Prison Act § 36.
In many cases the governor or his superiors (the Prison
Board, the Ministry of Justice or the Cabinet) may decide
that others within the institution may make decisions,
for example the inspector. This will typically he decisions
that must be made quickly, or less important decisions."
From the prison handbook by JUSS-BUSS
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