Norway’s Bastoy Prison Is The Nicest Penitentiary In The World, Offers Sandy Beaches, Fresh Food

You won’t hear prisoners at Norway’s Bastoy Prison running around singing “It’s a hard knock life for me” anytime soon, that is because Bastoy Prison might possibly be the worlds best “vacation” spot for killers, rapists and other convicted criminals.

The prison is located on a small island and it does not have any type of fences or armed guards, in fact the prisoners on the island carry the keys to their own rooms which are located inside cottages that have been painted a “cheery red.”

Prisoners are allowed to wear whatever clothes they want and they even get paid nearly $10 per day to garden, tend to the horses and perform other needed tasks around the island.

When it comes to eating they are fed farm-fresh eggs and salmon right from the waters where they live. Basically there food is probably better tasting and healthier than the average Americans breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After a big fresh meal the prisoners are then allowed to hang out on the prisons sandy beaches, play tennis will fellow inmates, perhaps even go fishing. At the end of a long hard day prisoners then wind down in the sauna.

CNN calls the location the “world’s nicest prison” and even the “holiday version of Alcatraz” but officials in Norway point out that the program has been a resounding success. In fact only 16% of prisoners who pass through Bastoy end up reoffending after two years, that is 4% lower than the countries other prisons and is far better than the United States which has a 43% rate after three-years.

According to the prison’s governor:

“If we have created a holiday camp for criminals here, so what? We should reduce the risk of reoffending, because if we don’t, what’s the point of punishment, except for leaning toward the primitive side of humanity?”