5 Star Prison

First of all...misty eyed, American Libs need not get all warm and fuzzy on this.

Some observations: Cost comparison to traditional prisons? Costs per inmate? (In terms of how much it costs to house the inmate on a monthly or annual basis) Design impact on capacity? I am sure the capacity is cut by 30% at least.

The humanity concept is a tribute to the Austrian culture @ large and even the "convicted" culture. The fact is, American jails are filled with gangs and violence and that comes from the streets...not some metamorphosis once behind the walls and wire.

So, if you want this concept in America, be prepared to pay a premium tax for it and you better start on the street - and start with 3rd graders who have absentee fathers….groom them and culture them…so when they go to jail, they will be calm and cultured, reading books and listening to opera on their headphones.

Looks like it would be better for a person of a nonviolent crime.

The concept of making prisoners better citizens by giving them better treatment shows the Austrian government has the foresight to realize that most people who get locked up also eventually get out. While the US subjects citizens to substandard and dehumanizing treatment while incarcerated leading to the eventual release of an individual that is angry and conflicted.

if i ever get arrested i want it to be in Austria. but i wonder if it is such a good idea to have prisoners living so comfortable. they are supposed to be punished yet they are basically living the "good life" which is not the point. but i do think it is a good idea to upgrade some of the prisons we have here in the US.

Interesting!

I agree with not making the place "gruesome"; I don't believe amenities should be provided more than "necessary". I realize that these decisions depend on who gets to make them...

WOW!!! Now I feel I have an opton:

Desperately try to find housing in SF and play lots of money for a crappy place.... OR

Go to Austria, yell in a public place about how their chocolate sucks, and get a sweet pad for free!!!

This by far is the relaxing looking prison I have ever saw. What is this prison's return percentage?

I want to go to prison if it's like that. I'm sick of trying to fit in.

I dont know because your in prison for doing something wrong.If I had no life, no family and no friends I'd commit crime to get in.although it may seem that they will make prisoners happy I'd rather see it half and half.Prison is punishment!!

Great pod. There are many things that the US should consider from this video. As others have already said- perhaps its doesn't need to be so nice, I know many school in the US that aren't that nice- but I think is a great idea and philosophy. I hope that in a few years you'll do a follow up on prisoners who were released from this facility to see if it made any difference with them readjusting to society.

Prison should not be a happy place. Drug users should not be in prison, they should be in re-hab. Alcoholics should not be in prison, they should be in re-hab. Rapists, murderers, and thieves belong in prison and they should have jobs that contribute to society. They should be taught a skill, like welding, that they could use when and if they are released.

very interesting. I think the most important issue is that a dehumanizing environment is not best for those who one day will likely be reentering society.

I'm not sure the prison has to be as luxurious as this one, but the US should consider a lot that is said in this piece.
I interviewed a prison superintendent once who said "the fact that a prisoner's freedom is taken away is punishment enough."
You don't have to go to great lengths to inflict harsh punishments, thereby taking away basic human needs.
What is ironic is this is occurring in a country where Arnold is from, and he bans weight-lifting in his state prisons.

Wow...what do I have to do to get arrested in Austria?

PLEASE send me to prison!

No, but really, this is a little disconcerting. I'm not sure I like the idea of convicted felons staying in a 5 star hotel...Can they really claim they're being punished?
Are the public universities in Austria as luxurious as this prison?

i think it's great. if american prisons focused more on rehabilitation than punishment and isolation, our prisons might look similar. this really does make an honest attempt to put convicted criminals safely back into society.

I think this is a great idea as well. Reacidivism I am sure would go down if we had prisons half as good as this in the U.S.

I almost think they made it too nice. I'd like to see more 4 star prisons.

Kaum Zu Glauben!

I think it's a great idea. The Stanford Prison Experiment shows us how easy it is for guards to dehumanize prisoners. If both have a beautiful environment, then they will hopefully treat each other with dignity.