ATS1423 Chap.9 Nordic Exceptionalism and Humane Prisons
Nordic Exceptionalism and Humane Prisons
Nordic Exceptionalism and Humane Prisons compares Australian imprisonment with the Nordic countries, which combine low imprisonment rates with humane conditions. Pratt and Eriksson document the gap in rates, prison size, staffing and officer training, and explain it through welfare states, political economy, consensus politics, media and long-standing cultures of equality.
The guest lecture draws four lessons for Australia: normalisation, dynamic security, the aim of releasing people who can be your neighbour, and staff training. The week also examines the critiques, from short research visits to solitary confinement on remand, and survey evidence that Norwegian prisons are more humane than English ones, largely because of open prisons.
The tutorial stages a mock Victorian hearing in which lobby groups, from prison officers to former prisoners and nearby residents, argue over importing a Nordic prison model.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Nordic and Anglophone imprisonment rates
- 02
Prison size, staffing and officer training
- 03
The normalisation principle
- 04
Dynamic security and its dual role
- 05
Open prisons
- 06
Explanations: welfare, economy, politics, media and equality
- 07
Critiques of Nordic exceptionalism
Worked example · free
Choose a fair comparison for essay prompt 3
- 1Rule out Norway, which the prompt excludes, and consider Finland or Sweden from the same Nordic cluster.
- 1Cite comparable figures: in 2010 Finland imprisoned 60 people per 100,000 and Sweden 78, against 134 for Australia.
- 1Add conditions that bear on rehabilitation: small prisons, generous staffing and officer training of a year in Finland or 40 weeks in Sweden.
- 1Acknowledge limits: the critiques of exceptionalism, including restrictive remand conditions, must be answered in the essay.
Key terms
- Nordic exceptionalism
- The claim that Nordic countries resist rising punitiveness, shown by low imprisonment rates and humane prison conditions.
- Normalisation principle
- The principle that prison life should mirror the better parts of ordinary life outside, with only liberty taken away.
- Dynamic security
- Security achieved through staff relationships with prisoners, which defuses conflict early and also gathers intelligence.
- Open prisons
- Prisons with minimal walls or barriers, where prisoners may work or study outside, holding around 30 per cent of Nordic prisoners.
- Static security
- Security that relies on physical barriers such as walls, fences, locks and surveillance rather than on relationships.
- Imprisonment rate
- The number of prisoners per 100,000 of population, which Pratt and Eriksson use as a general indicator of how punitive a society is.
- Cultures of equality
- Pratt and Eriksson's explanation that long-standing Nordic values of egalitarianism and moderation, rather than welfare states alone, sustain low imprisonment.
Nordic Exceptionalism and Humane Prisons FAQ
How low are Nordic imprisonment rates?
Pratt and Eriksson report rates for 2010 of 60 per 100,000 in Finland, 71 in Norway and 78 in Sweden, against 134 for Australia as a whole, 152 for New South Wales and 203 for New Zealand.
What is the normalisation principle?
It holds that prison life should resemble the good parts of ordinary life outside as closely as possible. The punishment is the loss of liberty, while rights such as voting, education and health care remain.
Are Nordic prisons really humane?
Crewe and colleagues separate an absolute claim from a relative one. Their survey found Norwegian prisoners felt cared about and safe more often than prisoners in England and Wales, supporting the claim that Nordic prisons are more humane, largely because of open prisons.
Why can't I use Norway in the research essay?
Essay prompt 3 explicitly asks for a comparison of Australia and one other jurisdiction excluding Norway, so choose another country such as Finland or Sweden, which the Week 9 readings also describe.
What is dynamic security?
Security built on relationships between staff and prisoners, such as cooking, eating and playing sport together, which lets staff defuse conflict early. The lecture notes that it also gathers intelligence, so staff act as carers and guards at the same time.
Assessment move
Learn the 2010 imprisonment rates and the officer training figures as a short set you can quote accurately. Prepare one sentence each on the four lessons for Australia and on three critiques, so you can argue both sides. If you choose essay prompt 3, remember the Norway exclusion and build your comparison around Finland or Sweden from the start.
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