SODERTALJE, Sweden - Sweden, like the rest of Scandinavia, prides itself on treating prisoners humanely and running the sort of prison system that values rehabilitation over punishment.
Metal detectors are rare, conjugal visits routine and unlocked cell doors the norm. Bored inmates, even those in high-security prisons, can simply switch on their television sets - there is one in every room or cell - or request off-campus leaves. Some "open prisons" even lack fences.
Sweden's reputation for operating cozy prisons is so widespread that after Saddam Hussein was captured, one of his lawyers asked whether he could be moved to a Swedish prison. The request was denied.
But several audacious escapes by dangerous criminals last year, including one at the Hall high-security prison near here, has plunged Sweden into a debate about its penal policies and has led the government to tighten prison security, especially for criminals with a history of violence. "The Swedish people were actually shaken to their roots by what happened," said Lars Nylen, a former police chief who is the new director of the Prison and Probation Service. "There is no doubt that the general opinion is that there are some prisoners who should be locked up and that having these prisoners running around is a big problem."
