This is also an area that can be studied. In addition to the other points it's worth looking at recidivism rates, which are much lower in places like Norway tha

This is also an area that can be studied. In addition to the other points it's worth looking at recidivism rates, which are much lower in places like Norway than in the US. The major reasons for success of Scandinavian countries in crime and punishment are larger than a single metric, IMHO. They have a (more) comprehensive philosophy that touches on many areas, all of which work together. If the US adopted the prison conditions and lighter sentencing of Norway without other measures, it would be a complete disaster. For the US to get similar benefits we would need to (ideally) first shift our attitude toward thinking of criminals as people, and thinking most of what benefits society rather than how to punish for punishment's sake.