3 ms·

So motivation to avoid prison altogether doesn't work (given the need for prisons) but prisoners will be motivated by the possibility of transfer to a better pr

• Cthulhu_ 8y ago
  When you're caught you're caught, when you're in you'll want to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Crime reporting and solving rates are relatively low, so most people get away with it [1]; only half the crimes are reported, and of those, less than half again (for violent crimes) or less than a fifth (for property theft) are solved. Statistically speaking you have less than 10% chance of getting arrested, and depending on the crime, even less chance of getting convicted. So yeah, your odds of not going to jail when committing a crime are pretty good. [1]: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/01/most-violent-and-property-crimes-in-the-u-s-go-unsolved/ http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/01/most-violent...
• vidarh 8y ago
  That some people commit crimes despite the risk of punishment does not mean the existence of punishment has no deterrent effect at all. And nowhere did I suggest that all prisoners will be motivated to do what is needed to get into these open prisons. It's not necessary either (though desirable): every prisoner who does behave better to earn better conditions free up resources to deal with those who don't. The more open prisons in Norway often have waiting lists of prisoners applying for transfers, and every indication I'm aware of is that prisoners often put in a lot of effort to qualify.