The Correctional Services of The Correctional Services of NorwayNorway

Gerhard Ploeg Gerhard Ploeg Ministry of Justice and the Police, Department of CorrectionsMinistry of Justice and the Police, Department of Corrections

GGeographical factseographical facts

North – South distance: North – South distance:

2,500 kilometres2,500 kilometres

East – West distance: East – West distance:

between 700 and 6 kilometresbetween 700 and 6 kilometres

= 1/20th of Australia = 1/20th of Australia

9900 % of the population on % of the population on 50 50 % of the area% of the area

NO

RW

AY

NO

RW

AY

Per capita GDP Per capita GDP

PopulationPopulation

4,74,7millionmillion -- 320320,00 ,00 km²km² -- 1414 per per km²km²

AUAU$ $ 66 66,500,500

AUAU$ $ 44,944,90000

DDemographical factsemographical facts

Source: CIA World Fact Book, Source: CIA World Fact Book, MayMay 20 201010

21,221,2millionmillion --7,740,0007,740,000 km²km² -- 33 per per km²km²

A ”Scandinavian model”?A ”Scandinavian model”?

Low recidivism

rates

Low incarceratio

n rates

NN RateRate

1.1. USAUSA 2,32,30404,000,000 775353

3.3. RussiaRussia 886262,000,000 660909

100.100. AustraliaAustralia 2299,,330000 134134

162.162. SwedenSweden 7,3007,300 7878

167.167. NorwayNorway 3,4003,400 7171

167.167. DenmarkDenmark 3,9003,900 7171

184.184. FinlandFinland 3,2003,200 6060

Source: ICPS World Prison Brief, May 20Source: ICPS World Prison Brief, May 201010

Average daily number of prisoners andAverage daily number of prisoners andprison – population rate in some countriesprison – population rate in some countries

Incarceration ratesIncarceration rates

Sanctions for criminal offences (2008)Sanctions for criminal offences (2008)

Unconditional imprisonment (2008)Unconditional imprisonment (2008)

Criminological factorsCriminological factors

Socio-cultural factorsSocio-cultural factors

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

ExplanationsExplanations

Reported offences (2008)Reported offences (2008)

In %

Criminological factors

John Pratt: John Pratt: Scandinavian ExceptionalismScandinavian Exceptionalism

A culture of A culture of • equality, equality, • egalitarianism, egalitarianism, • cohesion and cohesion and • solidaritysolidarityA tradition of social-democratic welfare valuesA tradition of social-democratic welfare values (and with a lot of money to spend on it)(and with a lot of money to spend on it)

Socio-cultural factors

Conflict boards Conflict boards

A Culture of NegotiationA Culture of Negotiation

Strong unionsStrong unions

””Strike season”Strike season”

Minority Minority governmentsgovernments

Socio-cultural factors

Staff trainingStaff training

Two-year education at academic levelTwo-year education at academic level

• Psychology, sociology, criminology, law, Psychology, sociology, criminology, law, social worksocial work

• Conflict management, ethics and human Conflict management, ethics and human rightsrights

Post-training courses in various working Post-training courses in various working methods and programmesmethods and programmes

Salary during educationSalary during education

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

Import modelImport model

Medical, educational, employment, clerical and Medical, educational, employment, clerical and library services are provided from outsidelibrary services are provided from outside

• ContinuityContinuity

• InvolvementInvolvement

• BudgetBudget

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

General atmosphereGeneral atmosphere

• Obligatory activityObligatory activity• Work, school, programWork, school, program• No uniforms for inmatesNo uniforms for inmates• Contact officerContact officer• Cultural activitiesCultural activities• One man, one cellOne man, one cell

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

Implementation Implementation characteristicscharacteristics

• Progressive implementationProgressive implementation• Self-administration and Self-administration and

responsibilityresponsibility

• Principle of normalityPrinciple of normality

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

Administrative discretionAdministrative discretion

Correctional services decide on:Correctional services decide on:

• Type of prisonType of prison

• Conditional releaseConditional release

• Electronic monitoringElectronic monitoring

• Contents of community Contents of community sentencesentence

• Prosecution of breach of Prosecution of breach of conditioncondition

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

A basis in theory and research A basis in theory and research evidenceevidence

• Choice of types of sanctionsChoice of types of sanctions

• Accreditation of programsAccreditation of programs

• Restorative JusticeRestorative Justice

• Establishing and maintaining Establishing and maintaining networksnetworks

• Assessment instrumentAssessment instrument

• Identifying needs and Identifying needs and translate them into policytranslate them into policy

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

AddictionAddictionFamily in prisonFamily in prisonLack of educationLack of educationUnemploymentUnemploymentChronic diseasesChronic diseasesHomelessnessHomelessnessBelow poverty lineBelow poverty line

60 %60 %30 %30 %40 %40 %80 %80 %50 %50 %70 %70 %40 %40 %

Problems among prisonersProblems among prisoners

Source: Friestad & Skog Hansen, Source: Friestad & Skog Hansen, 20042004

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

Reintegration guaranteeReintegration guarantee

The whole Government!The whole Government!

A form of A form of incomeincome

EducatioEducationn

EmploymentEmployment

Health Health servicesservices

TreatmentTreatment

Debt Debt counsellingcounselling

ID-ID-paperspapers

A place to A place to live live

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

• Co-operation with voluntary organizationsCo-operation with voluntary organizations

• Supporting positive relationshipsSupporting positive relationships

• Emphasizing strengths and resourcesEmphasizing strengths and resources

• Stimulating active social participationStimulating active social participation

Supporting desistance Supporting desistance

through social capitalthrough social capital

Correctional factorsCorrectional factors

Source: ”Retur”, Nordic Research Group, 2010Source: ”Retur”, Nordic Research Group, 2010

• All prisoners released and all All prisoners released and all community sentences started in 2005community sentences started in 2005

• Follow-up period of two yearsFollow-up period of two years• Recidivism = new conviction to prison Recidivism = new conviction to prison

or community sentenceor community sentence

Recidivism ratesRecidivism rates

Public opinionPublic opinion

RREVENGEEVENGE

GENERAL PREVENTIONGENERAL PREVENTION

SPECIAL PREVENTIONSPECIAL PREVENTION

INCAPACITATIONINCAPACITATION

REHABILITATIONREHABILITATION

SP

EC

IAL

S

PE

CIA

L

PR

EV

EN

TIO

PR

EV

EN

TIO

NN

INC

AP

AC

ITA

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INC

AP

AC

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NN

GE

NE

RA

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PR

EV

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TIO

NP

RE

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NT

ION

RRE

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NG

EE

VE

NG

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Corr

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al

dim

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Corr

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dim

en

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Norm

ali

tyN

orm

ali

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PolicyPolicy

Socio

-cultu

ral d

imen

sion

Socio

-cultu

ral d

imen

sion

Inclu

sion

Inclu

sion

OffenderOffender

Public Public opinionopinion

StaffStaff

The Reintegration Puzzle - NorwayThe Reintegration Puzzle - Norway

Correctional dimensionCorrectional dimension

NormalityNormality

Socio-cultural dimensionSocio-cultural dimension

InclusionInclusionService Service

providers Local providers Local authoritiesauthorities

Norway or the highway??Norway or the highway??

www.kriminalomsorgen.www.kriminalomsorgen.nono

gerhard.ploeg@jd.dep.ngerhard.ploeg@jd.dep.noo

tel. +47 22 24 55 73tel. +47 22 24 55 73

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!