Some of those Scandinavian countries are very strange. I watched a documentary about the police in Norway and they actually patrol the streets unarmed and very rarely have to even defend themselves. 90% of their encounters ends up with the suspects giving up instantly or right after getting pepper sprayed.
It's not really that strange. In most cases Scandinavian countries are the most peaceful and wealthy countries per ratio. If you have to deal with less scum, police departments don't require to carry a firearm; pepper spray or a taser is sufficient enough in case they have to deal with criminals and whatnot.Their prisons are also something else. Prisoners are allowed to have a computer and a TV and they even have desks and other furniture.
While being locked up sucks, it can suck much less if you're doing time in these conditions.
I think the more comfort (of course with limitations) you offer inmates, the higher the chances are that they are coming back into society with a more postive attitude. I have even read about how there are programs they can follow to directly after their release start working to sustain themselves. It's a smart system set up to prevent future problems with the same individuals. It requires an initial investment, but the long term pays off, which is their only objective. While being locked up sucks, it can suck much less if you're doing time in these conditions.
