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Prisons have become a place that denotes inhumane living conditions, sub-par food, and iron bars. While these conditions are observed in the majority of the prisons around the world, many places have created comfortable jails and correctional facilities to help inmates stay in touch with the outside world and indulge in self-improvement. Prisoners who serve long life sentences for crimes tend to spend a big portion of their lives behind closed bars and away from the world. These prisons have revolutionized the way inmates can be granted freedom in a close space to help them interact and stay in touch with the other side.
Most of the luxury prisons are located in Europe that have housing capacity but a myriad of amenities. Each prison has its own unique quality that makes it luxurious. Let’s look at the top prisons in the world that only the rich can afford.
Cebu Prison, Philippines
While the Cebu Prison in the Philippines is not the most luxurious prison on the list, it has mastered the art of offering the best recreational and creative exercises to the inmates. Each inmate has to participate in singing and dancing on various musical numbers. Their numbers are televised sometimes as they perform for civil audiences. Their dances have become so popular that they even sign autographs after their performances, as reported by ScoopWhoop.
Halden Prison, Norway
One of the most humane prisons globally, Halden Prison is located around plenty of greenery and natural light. Inmates are offered privacy and comfortable quarters to live. The additional amenities include a recreation room with a television and movies, TV shows and video games, skill-building classes, a functioning musical recording facility, and a fully equipped gym.
Sollentuna Prison, Sweden
More than a prison, the Sollentuna Prison is a correctional facility that houses inmates in private cells that give them enough privacy. The rooms have comfortable beds with attached bathrooms, a fully-equipped gym, an open kitchen, and a recreation room featuring a TV and couch. The high-security remand prison won the BREEAM Public Projects In-use Award in 2019 for its eco-friendly initiatives within the facility.
JVA Fuhlsbuettel Prison, Germany
While the German prison has been criticized for offering freedom to the prisoners, the JVA Fuhlsbuettel Prison still offers a myriad of amenities to the inmates. Along with expensive cells, the prison offers washing machines and telephone corners for inmates who want to talk to their families over a long distance. As mentioned by News 18, the prison also redecorates the floors after short intervals for inmates who are serving long sentences.
Champ-Dollon Prison, Switzerland
The Champ Dollon Prison was once the most overcrowded in 2008, and it has been refurbished to contain triple-occupancy cells with an attached bathroom. Ample outdoor facilities and recreation time and living with fellow inmates allow the prisoners to feel like university dorm mates that can help each other through the long-term and short-term rehabilitation process.
Aranjuez Prison, Spain
A unique one on the list, the Aranjuez Prison, has invented a creative solution to keep families together. The institution allows infants to live with their parents for the first few years of their lives so inmates can experience parenthood despite being imprisoned. The prison has cribs, a kids’ play area, and Disney-themed décor to make the children’s stay comfortable.
Justice Center Leoben, Austria
A residence made for non-violent offenders, the Justice Center Leoben is as good as a five-star hotel. The prison provides a private cell to each inmate with a kitchenette, a private bathroom, and a television. The recreational area contains a basketball court, an outdoor gym, and additional open space to interact with other people and take a walk.
Otago Corrections Facility, New Zealand
Located near Milton in lower South Island, the Otago Corrections facilities was one of the four opened between 2005 and 2007, as noted by New Zealand Corrections. The facility has a highly secure perimeter with ample open space and a separate building for accommodation. The inmates are provided comfortable rooms and skilled classes such as light engineering, cooking, and dairy farming.
HMP Addiewell, Scotland
A learning prison in every way, the HMP Addiewell facility in Southern Scotland allows each inmate 40 hours a week for productive skill-building. It houses 700 prisoners and ensures that every person develops skills during their time in the facility. It offers a special focus on helping the inmates transition into their civilian life to have a purpose after leaving the prison.
Bastoy Prison, Norway
Located on the Bastoy Prison Island in Norway, this prison is known to do things differently. Located 46 miles southeast of the country’s capital, the Bastoy Prison houses not more than 100 murderers and rapists. The prison complex has amenities such as horseback riding, fishing, tennis lessons, and sunbathing. Prisoners have cottages for homes and lush farms to go to work. According to The Guardian, despite the minimum security, the prison has the lowest reoffending rate in Europe.
Other notable prisons are the San Pedro Prison in Bolivia and Pondok Bambu Prison in Indonesia. These institutions show how prison experience can become a holistic approach that can lead to self-improvement while treating prisoners like humans. They are examples of how second chances can be given through correctional facilities under guarded security.
Sources: ScoopWhoop, News 18, New Zealand Corrections, The Guardian