If, say, Minnesota wanted to have a prison system like Norway's, what's stopping them? You are correct that states in the United States differ from one another

If, say, Minnesota wanted to have a prison system like Norway's, what's stopping them? You are correct that states in the United States differ from one another in how they set up their prison systems. (Two other facts, in relation to other comments in this thread, are 1) most prisoners in the United States are in state prisons rather than federal prisons, and 2) most prisoners in the United States are in prison for offenses other than drug offenses.) I live in Minnesota. Minnesota actually does emulate Norway more than it emulates many other states of the United States. It has a lower incarceration rate than most states, and it has a higher level of public spending per inmate than most states, with single-bunk cells being the aspiration (and, for a while, the reality) to a much greater degree than in most state prison systems. I once had occasion to tour Minnesota's maximum-security prison at Oak Park Heights[1] as an interpreter for a human-rights lawyer from another country. The lawyer, who knew the prisons in his country very well, was amazed at how clean and spacious the Minnesota prison was. He asked, in complete seriousness, "Wouldn't some people commit crimes just be put in a place like this?" A guard answered, with an equal degree of seriousness, "I wouldn't want to be an inmate here." Being in prison is denial of freedom. That's enough to count as punishment for most freedom-loving people. [1] http://www.doc.state.mn.us/pages/index.php/facilities/adult-facilities/oak-park-heights/ http://www.doc.state.mn.us/pages/index.php/facilities/adult-...