When a crime is committed, most would want the offender to be held accountable and serve some type of punishment. In the United States and most countries these punishments involve spending a period of time or the rest of your life in a jail or prison facility. At first this might seem to resolve crime and keep offenders out of society, however this system seems to be failing in the United States. In other countries like Norway changing up their jail/prison systems to a rehabilitation facility has declined recidivism rates at an all time high, and allowed offenders to blend back into society once completing their sentencing. Is a more humanistic approach the key to decline inmate numbers in the states? 

 To understand the American jail system, there are differences between each facility; depending on how long offenders are serving their sentencing and which part of the government runs that facility. Another factor between these facilities is that minors are separated and have their own systems; detention centers. Juvenile systems have a large rehabilitation and education approach in place. There have already been positive impacts with this approach, recidivism rates have “fallen in recent years thanks to increased preference for alternate options for young offenders, such as counseling and probation or smaller facilities operated at a city or county-level.”(Brooks, 2019). These facilities are also run differently based on security level dependent on the inmates that are housed, most facilities that house inmates in lower security have some rehabilitation aspects in place. However, the more security is in place, these rehabilitation programs lack. Each of these security levels in prison are dependent on the crime, inmates can move to prison based on behavior and sentencing can be reduced. Despite the fact that there is a system in place that seems to be most effective, how is an increase of recidivism and violence outcome are occuring more? 

 There are issues that are prominent in the current prison system that are increasing violence and unsafe environments. Even though prisons are meant to house and monitor the inmates in a safe manner, at the same time provide rehabilitation options, these will often be dismissed due to the constant “overcrowding and turnover” (Baggio et al, 2020), not allowing staff to take control over inmates and harder to enforce safer standards. On top of the lack of control the overall condition of the prisons are harsh. These conditions include “inmates [being] told when to eat and when to sleep. Stripped of their identities, they become mere bodies with numbers.”(Lahm, n.d.). Violence can also be brought in, not just sparked in the walls of prison, “inmates merely carry into the prison system the same violent attitudes and behaviors they have outside prisons.”(Brooks, 2019). Violence and the living conditions in prison can make up a toxic environment that blocks the ability for a mental safe space for real growth and change for these inmates. Based on the recidivism rates in the United States the “entirety of 2025 is still emerging, estimates indicate a three-year re-incarceration rate of just under 40%.” (Vigne, 2024). That is still considered very high, almost 1 to 4 people are arrested within a year after completing their sentencing. Something needs to change, rehabilitation programs and safer environments have been the most effective to decline these rates. 

Comparing and contrasting Norway's prison systems to the United States that uses a rehabilitation approach and has a heavily different view on prison environments. Norway has redesigned their prison systems after their recidivism rates were at “roughly 70% of all released prisoners recommitted crimes within two years of release”(“First Step Alliance", 2024). Jails in Norway are not large or centralized, they are instead small and community based. Furthering on the community based approach, the Norwegian government prefers to place inmates in facilities closer to the family so that they are able to maintain relationships with family and friends. Each prison offers opportunities of “school, workshops, recreational activities, and anti-violence and drug counseling.” (“First Step Alliance”,2024). 

Based on the positive impacts of Norway’s new prison system, American systems should also shift away from the punishment centralized model. Not only can these positive impacts lower the recidivism rates, safer environments and in communities, it also can significantly help public funding. Introducing this new technique will allow inmates to keep strong family relationships, restore lives rather than destroy, and overall build a more connected and safer society. 

Thank you for taking the time to consider this change and I hope you show your support by signing this petition. 

Natasha Shea 

You may also contact the governors office to show support. 

Office of Governor Jared Polis 

State Capitol Bldg - 200 E. Colfax Ave., Rm. 136, Denver, CO 80203 Constituent Services Help Line: (303) 866-2885 Governor's Office, Front Desk: (303) 866-2471 

References

Baggio, S., Peigné, N., Heller, P., Gétaz, L., Liebrenz, M., & Wolff, H. (2020, January 24). Do overcrowding and turnover cause violence in prison?. Frontiers in psychiatry. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6992601/#:~:text=Violence%20is%20common%20in%20prison,not%20be%20important%20or%20relevant . 

Bleicher, A. (2026, February 11). Norway’s humane approach to prisons can work here too. Norway’s Humane Approach to Prisons Can Work Here Too | UCSF Magazine. https://magazine.ucsf.edu/norways-humane-approach-prisons-can-work-here-too#:~:text=The%20first%20is%20%E2%80%9Cnormality%2C%E2%80%9D,sports%2C%20or%20shop%20for%20groceries  

Brooks, A. (2019, June 17). Breaking down the different types of prisons in America. Rasmussen University. https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/justice-studies/blog/different-types-of-prisons/#:~:text=Prisons%20are%20long%2Dterm%20facilities,the%20state%20or%20federal%20government  

Correctional institutions. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (n.d.).  https://bjs.ojp.gov/topics/corrections/correctional-institutions#:~:text=Description,Jail%20Inmates%20and%20Jail%20Facilities  

First Step Alliance. (2024, May 2). Rehabilitation lessons from Norway’s prison system. https://www.firststepalliance.org/post/norway-prison-system-lessons#:~:text=Norway%20has%2057%20prisons%20with,some%20of%20Norway’s%20largest%20prisons:  

https://streamlinehq.comX (n.d.). About the Norwegian Correctional Service. Kriminalomsorgen.no.  https://www.kriminalomsorgen.no/about-the-norwegian-correctional-service.6327382-536003.html 

Lahm, K. (n.d.). Prison violence: Law: Research starters: EBSCO research. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/prison-violence  

Vigne, N. L. (2024, September 4). New National Recidivism Report - Council on Criminal Justice. My WordPress. https://counciloncj.org/recidivism_report/