Legal Commentary

Austria's Superior Prison Philosophy

By Jeralyn

I hope someone in the Obama Administration takes note of the philosophy behind the Austrian prison system. It's one that could serve the U.S. well.

It's in the news today because Josef Fritzl, the 73 year old sentenced to life for abominable crimes against his daughter, has chosen Garsten as the place to serve his sentence. (Apparently, in Austria, the inmates get to choose their prison.) [More...]

Garsten has classes, cells filled with light, a gym, huge library and offers programs from tennis to art classes.

“The Austrian penal system aims not only at enforcing punishment, but also attempts to bring the inmate back within the norms of society,” said a spokesman for Austrian prisons last week when asked whether it was right that Fritzl should enjoy such a lax regime.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 22, 2009 (boomark / email).