Back On The Chain Gang

I'm sorely tempted to return to the home country. And commit a heinous crime. Seriously, I haven't had a real vacation since 2005.

Prisoners live in brightly painted small wooden cottages, and tend to farm animals, grow crops and chop wood. For recreation, there's a beach where prisoners sunbathe in the summer, plenty of good fishing spots, horses for riding, a sauna and tennis courts.

Ok, I know what you're thinking, but aks yourself this question: "Which alternative is better for society as a whole, punishing criminals or rehabilitating them?" Sure, 9 times out of 10 it sure feels better to do the former, but without the latter, are you not effectively hardening the criminal, reinforcing the outsider status, insuring more of the same on release? To say nothing of the act of creating a permanent sub-citizen class of Felon, stripped of many basic rights, for life. What incentive do felons have for rejoining society as productive, peaceful, law abiding members?

Consider that the recidivism rate is a mere 16% in Norway. That's impressive. And if even 16% is deemed unacceptable, you could always simply execute repeat offenders. Hey, they got the special treatment, the cabins and beaches and horses. They had their chance to reconsider their evil ways; a chance for redemption, and they blew it off. Now we can drop the hammer with no remorse. That's far more humane than maintaining them locked away somewhere in permanent stasis. Cheaper too.

The only caveat I see is that this kind of system can work in a small, relatively homogeneous society that shares common values. It seems well suited to Scandinavia, but doomed to abject failure in open bordered multiculti land. So, forget about it for now, but keep an open mind for after the Great Collapse and Reconstruction Period. In, oh, about 6 to 8 months from now, I'm guessing.