World Welcome to the world's nicest prison.

[tom_mai78101]

Bastoy, Norway (CNN) -- Jan Petter Vala, who is serving a prison sentence for murder, has hands the size of dinner plates and shoulders like those of an ox. In an alcoholic rage, he used his brutish strength to strangle his girlfriend to death a few years ago.

On a recent Thursday, however, at this summer-camp-like island prison in southern Norway, where convicts hold keys to their rooms and there are no armed guards or fences, Vala used those same enormous hands to help bring life into the world.

The 42-year-old murderer stood watch while an oversize cow gave birth to a wobbly, long-legged, brown-and-white calf. He cried as the baby was born, he said, and wiped slime off of the newborn's face so she could gulp her first breath.

Afterward, Vala called his own mother to share the good news. "I told my family that I'm going to be a dad," he said, beaming with pride. This is exactly the type of dramatic turnabout -- enraged killer to gentle-giant midwife -- that corrections officials in Norway hope to create with this controversial, one-of-a-kind prison, arguably the cushiest the world has to offer.

https://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/24/world/europe/norway-prison-bastoy-nicest/index.html

 

[Fatmankev]

Fuckin' crazy. I feel like that should come after real prison. They still need to pay for what they did, imo.

 

[FireCat]

^ Indeed

 

[Jaujarahje]

At first I read that as "Welcome to the worlds nicest person" Then I read the article and was thinking, How is someone who murdered his girlfriend and helped a cow give birth the worlds nicest person? Then I reread the title and it all made sense

 

[Fatmankev]

At first I read that as "Welcome to the worlds nicest person" Then I read the article and was thinking, How is someone who murdered his girlfriend and helped a cow give birth the worlds nicest person? Then I reread the title and it all made sense

That made me chuckle.

 

[KaerfNomekop]

Some people just can't integrate into society. For everyone else, there's Bastoy.

 

[Narks]

Fuckin' crazy. I feel like that should come here after real prison. They still need to pay for what they did, imo.

Pay? That sounds rather draconian. I was under the impression that prison was a tool to protect people from criminals, and to try and resocialize them.

 

[Sevion]

At first I read that as "Welcome to the worlds nicest person" Then I read the article and was thinking, How is someone who murdered his girlfriend and helped a cow give birth the worlds nicest person? Then I reread the title and it all made sense

Exactly what I thought.

 

[Fatmankev]

Pay? That sounds rather draconian. I was under the impression that prison was a tool to protect people from criminals, and to try and resocialize them.

Man, I can respect your opinion, but if that's what they're for then they're falling well short of their duties. A lot of the people in prisons were never a danger to society in the first place, no more than anyone else, and the resocialization efforts are more jokes than anything (although the prison mentioned in the article seems to be more along the lines of what you're describing).

Really, the main thing is this: when I see someone that just strangled his girlfriend to death, or raped someone, or drowned their child or what have you, I don't want to see them get better.

I really don't. Do they deserve it? Second chances, and all? Do you really deserve a second chance for everything? If yes, then what about the people who's second chances were taken from them by the same people you're trying to offer them to?

Like I said, you have a point, but I'm afraid my brain just don't feel that way. You hear where I'm coming from?

 

[FireCat]

I was under the impression that prison was a tool to protect people from criminals, and to try and resocialize them.

But prison isn't supposed to be full of sunshine and happiness. Hmm what about the victims and there families?

 

[Accname]

Man, I can respect your opinion, but if that's what they're for then they're falling well short of their duties. A lot of the people in prisons were never a danger to society in the first place, no more than anyone else, and the resocialization efforts are more jokes than anything (although the prison mentioned in the article seems to be more along the lines of what you're describing).

Really, the main thing is this: when I see someone that just strangled his girlfriend to death, or raped someone, or drowned their child or what have you, I don't want to see them get better.

I really don't. Do they deserve it? Second chances, and all? Do you really deserve a second chance for everything? If yes, then what about the people who's second chances were taken from them by the same people you're trying to offer them to?

Like I said, you have a point, but I'm afraid my brain just don't feel that way. You hear where I'm coming from?

The problem is, you can never know what happened.
All you know is what you have read in the article.
Most probably nobody other then the victim and the murderer really know what happened.

Our justice system can never tell the truth, there is always the chance of people getting into jail for no reason, or with a much heavier sentence then what is really adequate. Those things happen.

And then, you are the one who is wrong and they are the poor victims of the system.
You shouldnt treat all criminals like monsters, some might be victims just as well.

 

[Fatmankev]

The problem is, you can never know what happened.
All you know is what you have read in the article.
Most probably nobody other then the victim and the murderer really know what happened.

Our justice system can never tell the truth, there is always the chance of people getting into jail for no reason, or with a much heavier sentence then what is really adequate. Those things happen.

And then, you are the one who is wrong and they are the poor victims of the system.
You shouldnt treat all criminals like monsters, some might be victims just as well.

I definitely agree with you, here. There are people that get, for lack of better words, totally butt-fucked by the system. You can't argue that.

However, to change the prisons in support of the few that don't belong there when there's so many that do, well, it seems counter productive. I know what you're saying, in that you can never be certain that they actually deserve to be there, but for those that admit to murder? I mean, is there really any way to justify taking another's life? It's not fucking yours. You shouldn't be able to take it. But that's how the world is, and so we must defend ourselves against it.

I'm totally for prisoner reform. It would be wonderful to help change their mindsets so that they could be reintegrated into society. But should it really be done immediately? Should we be showing people that it's okay to do this, as long as we can make them better afterwards?

That's almost how it seems to me. I just don't think you can take many crimes so lightly. Seems like the perfect place for certain criminals, don't get me wrong, and a great place to help reform prisoners, but that's almost a reward. It should not go straight to that. There are several crimes that can completely destroy someone's life, even if it doesn't necessarily take it away. For these, a strict punishment should be enforced.

 

[Jedimindtrixxx]

Really, the main thing is this: when I see someone that just strangled his girlfriend to death, or raped someone, or drowned their child or what have you, I don't want to see them get better.

So you mean they had problems, those problems led them into something such as murdering their gf, and as a result you want them to maintain those exact problems that had him kill his gf rather than actually becoming a good person?

No offense, but i literally cannot picture the logic behind that.

That to me is like a teacher not helping a failing student, because thats what he deserves for failing in the first place.

also, i also read that as nicest person.

 

[Fatmankev]

I'm afraid you can't really make that sort of comparison with such a drastic matter. Murder and failing at school are such completely different things that the analogy doesn't stand, unless you're ignoring the fact that they committed murder.

I get what you're saying: why shouldn't we be trying to help them get better instead of just putting them into a worse place? It's definitely a valid point.

But face it, people on the whole are scum. Why do we obey the laws? So we don't get in trouble. Most of us are morally sound enough not to consciously take a human life, so I'm not saying it's the only reason, but imagine...

For killing somebody, you go to summer camp. The people handle your food, your lodging and everything else you need, and provide you with loads of activities to help reshape you. You don't need to hold a job, or pay for anything, and the only restriction is that you have to stay at summer camp until it's all over.

The way our world is today, there need to be punishments for heinous crimes. You can't place them straight into rehabilitation, or those without remorse will feel even less fear of being caught.

We should help whoever we can. The laws shouldn't be so black and white, and, imo, circumstances should help dictate the punishment. But there needs to be a punishment, or things will begin to spiral out of control.

Few people are understanding enough to forgive someone for killing a loved one. There's not much you can do to help them, but seeing a sense of justice being served can certainly do its part. I can only imagine how cheated I'd feel if my son were taken from me and I knew that the man was sent away to what borders on being a resort.

I'm not trying to change your opinion. I'm just trying to explain my perspective.

Edit: Also, just read the entire article, and it turns out that the prisoners are serving a sentence in a real prison before they go to this one (97% of them, at least). That's exactly what I wanted in the first place, so I have nothing to complain about. Sounds like a cool, legit plan to reintegrate people back into society after a fitting punishment.

 

[FireCat]

Murder: Rape: Crimes against children: and Crimes against animal.
Seriously, such people should be locked up forever! where they can't hurt us

Just Imagine if you met someone on the street, And that person did Murder someone in your family
Would you still think, he did deserves a chance to be out there?

 

[camelCase]

Murder: Rape: Crimes against children: and Crimes against animal.
Seriously, such people should be locked up forever! where they can't hurt us

Just Imagine if you met someone on the street, And that person did Murder someone in your family
Would you still think, he did deserves a chance to be out there?

Okay

 

[Accname]

Murder: Rape: Crimes against children: and Crimes against animal.
Seriously, such people should be locked up forever! where they can't hurt us

Just Imagine if you met someone on the street, And that person did Murder someone in your family
Would you still think, he did deserves a chance to be out there?

Everybody deserves a chance. If they want to change and pull it through, why not?

If somebody would really kill a member of my family, and would then come to me and tell me how awefully sorry he is and how this moment changed his life and how many good things he wants to do in the future to make up for his crimes, i wouldnt have any kind of problem with it, would you?

 

[FireCat]

Everybody deserves a chance. If they want to change and pull it through, why not?

NO! Murderers, do not deserve a second chance. People who Just murder out of cold blood don't deserve anything. They belongs behind bars.

If somebody would really kill a member of my family, and would then come to me and tell me how awefully sorry he is and how this moment changed his life and how many good things he wants to do in the future to make up for his crimes, i wouldnt have any kind of problem with it

Woah oh. There's is my murder who killed one member of my family, Maybe I give a hug?

 

[Accname]

NO! Murderers, do not deserve a second chance. People who Just murder out of cold blood don't deserve anything. They belongs behind bars.
[...]

So you will end their lives because they killed somebody else?
That makes you so much better, you know.
Its a spiral of hate you are moving on, peopl will always keep hating each other and killing each other if nobody can forgive another one if they really seek forgiveness.

 

[FireCat]

So you will end their lives because they killed somebody else?
.

eh? I didn't said that. " they will end of their life" But they didn't deserve be among us. Btw: How do you know they will not murder again.?