15 of the best prisons in the world that you would confuse for a home

The word "prison" conjures images of harsh living conditions, poor-quality food, and restraining walls. While this is the norm in most correctional facilities, some of the best prisons in the world have gone as far as building prisons with modern amenities that allow inmates to maintain contact with the outside world. These prisoners also have the opportunity to engage in activities that promote personal growth while they serve their sentences.

Inmates serving life sentences for serious offences typically spend a significant portion of their lives in jail. The best prisons in the world have transformed how offenders are afforded freedom in a restricted area, allowing them to communicate and maintain contact with the outside world.

What are the best prisons in the world?

Europe is home to the most luxurious best prisons in the world, which typically have a smaller prison population but a wide range of unique amenities. Each facility has a special characteristic that makes it luxurious. Here’s a peek inside some of the best prisons in the world that you can confuse for a home.

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1. Bastoy Prison, Norway

Norway is home to some of the most luxurious prisons in the world, and Bastoy Prison is one of them. However, the facility only holds 100 inmates. It is a maximum-security facility that eliminates the possibility of mass brawls.

Each inmate in Bastoy gets to reside in their private Maldives-style cottages and can participate in sports such as tennis, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and fishing. In fact, several former detainees claim that the facility is more of a vocational centre than a jail.

2. Pondok Bambu Prison, Indonesia

Pondok Bambu is an all-female facility outfitted with everything from refrigerators and air conditioning to nail salons and karaoke machines. This complex, filled with flowers and sculptures, would be an undeniable haven for beauty treatments and recreational programs. Pondok Bambu Prison is one of the best women’s prisons in the world due to the presence of these luxurious amenities.

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3. HMP Addiewell, Scotland

Her Majesty's Prison Addiewell, located in southern Scotland, is one the best rated prisons in the world. It is a designated learning jail where each convict is given 40 hours each week to work on constructive skill development.

The 700 convicts at Addiewell are in excellent care, and the facility primarily focuses on preparing them for successful reintegration into society after release.

4. Champ-Dollon Prison, Switzerland

Formerly known for overcrowding, Champ-Dollon Prison now has roomy triple-occupancy cells and an adjoining bathroom. Inmates might imagine themselves less as inmates and more as roommates working together on their recovery path because of the abundance of facilities available.

5. Otago Corrections Facility, New Zealand

While its security measures are rigorous, Otago Corrections Facility offers its convicts nice chambers and places great significance on skill development as a means of transformation. Otago attempts to efficiently rehabilitate by offering courses in dairy farming, light engineering, and cuisine.

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6. Aranjuez Prison, Spain

This correctional facility addresses how correctional facilities break families by allowing children to spend their first years with incarcerated parents. With a children's play area, cribs, and Disney figures on the walls, Aranjuez Prison allows detained parents to experience parenthood despite their circumstances.

7. Sollentuna Prison, Sweden

This correctional facility provides individual cells with comfy mattresses and adjacent restrooms for its inmates. The inmates in Sollentuna Prison enjoy first-rate amenities such as a fully-equipped gym, a kitchen they are free to use, and a comfortable leisure room with a television and couches.

8. Halden Prison, Norway

Norway is one of the countries with the best prisons in the world. One of its well praised prison is the Halden Prison. It is deemed the best prison in the world because it provides its inmates with beautiful sceneries surrounded by vast vegetation and natural light.

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Each convict receives private, luxurious living chambers. The Halden Prison offers a recreation area with movies, television shows, and video games, skill-building classes, a fully-equipped gym, and a fully-operational recording studio.

9. JVA Fuhlsbuettel Prison, Germany

JVA Fuhlbuettel in Hamburg is among the best and most comfortable jails for long-term inmates. In 2011, JVA Fuhlsbuettel Prison was refurbished and reopened. It includes roomy chambers with a bed, sofa, and a unique combined shower and toilet. In addition, the inmates are provided with a is a small meeting room.

10. Chillon Castle, Switzerland

The Chillon Castle in Switzerland, near Lake Geneva, is one of the top 10 best prisons in the world. It has served numerous purposes throughout history. This castle has operated as a military enforcement station, medieval fort, and jail. It has also served as private property for summertime use.

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The facility has impressive architecture and is aesthetically stunning, especially from a distance. Remember to carry your camera; this landmark is well worth the trip and even has a moat.

11. HMP Berwyn Prison, UK

The HMP Berwyn is among the best correctional facilities in the United Kingdom. Inmates in these cells have access to a laptop, phone, and shower. However, no devices are connected to Wi-Fi.

The provided laptops are used to order meals for the entire week, plan visits and weekly shopping, and do any academic-related work.

This facility can house up to 2,100 male detainees, who are referred to as "men" rather than "prisoners," and guards knock before entering their chambers.

12. Cebu Prison, Philippines

Although Cebu Prison correctional facility is not as luxurious as some of the jails on this list, it has been a leader in providing inmates with opportunities for creative expression and entertainment.

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Inmates at this correctional facility sing and dance to various musical selections. In addition to performing for civilian audiences, these convicts also sign autographs.

13. Justice Center Leoben, Austria

Each Justice Center Leoben inmate gets a single cell with a private bathroom, kitchenette, and television. In addition, the facility provides the inmates with an outdoor entertainment space, a weight room, and a basketball court.

14. California Prison, USA

The California Prison is one of the most luxurious prisons in America. The facility decided to utilize this previously unused jail that was constructed in 2000 and began by charging an outrageous $155 a night for convicts to stay in an unoccupied correctional facility.

In addition to gaming tables, bathrooms, cells, beds, and showers, inmates can access numerous entertainment programs on a widescreen HDTV. The jail is a significant improvement over the usual facility.

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15. San Pedro Prison, Bolivia

San Pedro may not be the most luxurious correctional facility, but it does merit recognition for its unique approach to jail life. San Pedro Prison may be the most unconventionally comfortable correctional facility in the world, with self-appointed leaders and entire neighbourhoods complete with homes and families, cafes and businesses.

Summary table of the best prisons in the world

Who has the best prisons in the world?

Norway's prison system accommodates around three thousand individuals, and it is widely recognized as one of the world's most efficient and compassionate systems. In Norway, capital punishment and life imprisonment are not part of the legal framework.

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The best prisons in the world provide unique amenities, ensuring prisoners experience a comfortable and safe life as they serve their sentences. These facilities are not meant for punishing wrongdoers but for rehabilitating and equipping them with the skills that would make them better individuals after serving their jail terms.

Yen.com.gh recently published an article on the largest hotels in the world with the highest number of rooms. These hotels offer visitors many luxurious amenities, such as opulent hotels and suites, dining establishments, exclusive beaches, swimming pools, and spas.

The largest hotel in the world, with a total of 7351 rooms, is The First World Hotel, located in Malaysia. Other hotels in this list include the City Centre and The Venetian in Las Vegas, United States.

Source: YEN.com.gh