These different prison
Where is the best and the worst of life prisoners.
More than 10 million people in the world are in prisons and other places of detention, over the past 15 years the number of prisoners increased by 20%. In many countries, the penal crisis: somewhere in Russia, USA, China, prisons are overcrowded, and where, as in the Netherlands, the empty chamber rent neighboring States.
In October of this year in Romania from prison, was paroled 530 prisoners, among whom 33 killer 47 two rapists and a pedophile. The basis for the mass “Amnesty” was put into effect a law requiring the government to reduce the term of imprisonment for six days for every 30 days spent in “inhuman” conditions in prison.
Romanian correctional institutions are notorious for overcrowding and appalling conditions of detention.
The law was passed after April 2017, the European court of human rights (ECHR) is very harshly criticized Romanian prisons, and demanded from Bucharest to improve conditions of detention in them. ECHR also engaged in a Romanian prison, when four inmates complained of overcrowding (18-20 people in the camera), unsanitary conditions, bad food and rats.
In November, freedom go another 3.5 thousand people. In all, only for the first year of the law ahead of schedule should be released about 8 thousand prisoners.
The public has sounded the alarm — and not without reason. For example, one of the freed, is serving a 10-year sentence for rape, four days after his release he robbed and raped in Bucharest woman.
From prison to a four-star hotel
Overcrowding in prisons is the problem of the modern penitentiary system in dozens of countries.
According to a recent study Commission of the Council of Europe, the overcrowded prisons, if we talk about European countries, Albania, Belgium, France, Greece, Macedonia, and Spain. No better situation in countries such as USA, Russia, China, India.
However, there are examples of the opposite: while most countries are struggling with overcrowding, in the Netherlands the crisis of an entirely different kind: in the Kingdom prison… empty.
Empty cells can be partially explained by the construction boom prevailing in the Kingdom in 1990-ies, when it was built a lot of things, including prisons. But the prison population is rapidly declining: if in 2005 there were 20,315 thousand, as at 30 September 2016, — 10,102 thousand including of juvenile offenders and foreign nationals (according to the World Prison Brief, WPB).
According to the Ministry of justice of the Netherlands, the country, now vacant for almost one third camera; and by 2020, according to forecasts, will be idle 3 thousand cameras and 400 places of detention for juvenile offenders.
According to the head of the National Agency of correctional institutions (NACI) of the Netherlands Angelina van dyke, the prison of the Kingdom now increasingly used for prisoners, which are dangerous to release into the wild, and those who need help.
Sometimes people who have committed a crime, it is better to stay with their families, continue to work and serve his sentence in some other way. We have reduced the duration of prison sentences and reduced crime rates. The result is a empty chamber.Angelina van Dataclinic the National Agency of correctional institutions Netherlands
The Dutch are a very practical people. Prisons are expensive, the cameras are empty. One way out — prison needs to be closed. In 2005 they were in the country 85, and now nearly half. Went to it gradually: in 2009, has closed eight correctional institutions, five years — 19.
Speaking last year in Parliament, the Minister of justice of the Netherlands ARD van der Steyr, says Telegraaf, told lawmakers that to keep empty prison is very expensive and in the near future the government intends to close five correctional facilities.
Often in former prisons open detention centers for migrants. Often they are converted into restaurants and cafes, accommodation and even the luxurious hotels.
One of the most famous prison of the hotels located in the town of Roermond. It’s called Arresthuis (“House arrests”): a prison constructed in 1863, the hotel was left to color the bars on the Windows, prison doors in the rooms and cast-iron stairs. Four of the most expensive rooms got themed names: “Law”, “Judiciary”, “Apartment of the prison Director” and “Supervision”.
In the Amsterdam prison Bijlmerbajes located near the Amstel station, now go… to relax: in one of the wings is the first in the Kingdom of the Syrian Hamam baths and the other with the refugee center.
Another disused prison — built in 1499 Blakespot in Leeuwarden — given under the cultural center. It often hold children’s birthday parties and tours for children.
As to the “prison” of hotels, they appear not only in the Netherlands.
In the UK, for example, very popular among tourists is the prison, the Malmaison in Oxford. The rooms in this medieval castle is made of cameras.
In Switzerland, enjoy the comfort of a modern hotel the hotel with the promising name of “Prison”. Istanbul a four-star hotel “Four seasons” in the former prison’s popularity owes among other things to a favorable location to the main attractions from it is a few minutes walk away.
Now on the rise and prison tourism.
Usually people are willing to do anything to get out of jail. Nowadays, however, there are those who are willing to pay money to be inside. There is even a prison Museum.
In America’s most famous prison attraction Alcatraz prison. “The rock” as it is called, is located on an island near San Francisco. At one time there sat many famous criminals, including al Capone. In the 1970s, the island was opened for tourists.
In Australia, very popular Old Melbourne gaol, and the prison Port Arthur in Tasmania even included in the list of world cultural heritage of UNESCO.
In respect of the use of prison cells not on purpose, along with the Netherlands stands Mexico.
Four police officers from Juarez, a suburb of Monterrey, famous throughout the world, surrendering to the drug dealers of the camera in a local prison. Drug lords in anticipation of redemption, was kept behind bars for kidnap victims.
However, the most controversial case occurred in July 2010 in Gomez Palacio. There are security guards… freed the prisoners, gave them guns and sent to patrol cars for “arrow”. After they killed 17 members of rival gangs, the guards returned them to jail.
Dutch Siberia
The closure of the prison there is only one serious drawback — the loss of jobs.
So, the imminent closure of five Dutch correctional institutions will lead to the loss of 1900 jobs. Another 700 employees of the Ministry of justice promises to keep a job, most likely in the detention centers for migrants.
From an economic point of view the dismissal of prison officials is justified. In 2014, the number of guards in the Netherlands exceeded the number of prisoners: 9,914 thousand and thousand of 9.71, respectively! For comparison: in the US every warden has an average of five prisoners.
Authorities trying to solve the problem of jobs, renting prison cells in the… rent.
So, from February 2010 in jail of Willem II in Tilburg are serving sentences of 650 prisoners from neighboring Belgium, unlike the Netherlands, the prisons are overcrowded: in 2013, they were 10.4 thousand prisoners with capacity halved. Every three years, rent Dutch prison cost Brussels $38.5 million While the Belgians guarded by Dutch wardens, but over time in the Netherlands will move and the Belgian guards.
In the spring of 2015 was signed a similar agreement with Norway, where the camera is also not enough — furthermore, even there is a queue of 1,000 prisoners.
Speaking about waiting in prison, not to mention the little Iceland, where this unusual turn, too, have 560. Given the fact that the island’s population of 342 thousand people, and the number of prisoners — 131 is, of course, very much. Though, because that exceeds the capacity of the five Icelandic prisons — 152 — 3.5 times.
Iceland has a very interesting law: if convicted, five years can not go to jail, which is quite likely given the impressive “waiting list”, then his sentence shall be cancelled.
In 2017, is invalid due to the “five-year” law recognized the sentences of 17 criminals, and the year before — 34.
The first prisoners from Norway appeared in the Dutch prison Longerhave in the North-East Kingdom in September 2015. Just moved to 242 people. Watching the local guards, but the overall management of the Norwegian wing in the hands of officials from Norway.
The representative of the Dutch Ministry of justice the Japanese Oosterveer announced that the three-year rent cameras Oslo will cost €25 million and that this money will go to the salaries of 240 employees of the Dutch prisons.
Most of the prisoners went to the “new residence” voluntarily. Perhaps because in the Netherlands cheaper cigarettes and products. Norwegian prisons are known for excellent conditions, but inferior in comfort Dutch — not to give them hard.
So, prisoners of Nargarjuna enjoy from the Windows of the chambers in the spectacular views of the village Winhusen. They can cook your own food, grow vegetables, and contain the chickens.
Sports prisoners are engaged not only in the gym but also outdoors, where they include a sports town with an area of 2 ha. They freely, without guards, go to the library, to the dining room and the infirmary. Last year in the prison there was a room where you can chat with family and friends via Skype. Prisoners Nargarjuna watch television programs on 55 channels. They can even choose the color of the walls in their cells.