Presenter(s): Ella Young—General Social Science, Political Science
Faculty Mentor(s): Alison Gash, Kristen Bell
Session 1: Global Views—We vs. Them
Incarceration is a pressing issue, affecting most countries around the world . In the United States, incarceration and recidivism rates have been generally increasing over the past decades . In contrast, Norway has almost uniquely low incarceration and recidivism rates, despite its many other similarities with the US . While there are a multitude of studies and theories about causes and contributions to incarceration and recidivism, examining the structure of societies is relatively new . This paper aims to go beyond the practices and policies that may affect incarceration and recidivism . Through the investigation of the structural differences between the US and Norway, it will be shown that the two countries have drastically different philosophies about crime and criminals . As more money and resources are spent on prisons, it is important to understand the true cost of incarceration, including everything from federal funding to the opportunity cost of wasted human productivity . Through analyzing the different policies enacted by the US and Norway, as well as the ideologies behind the policies, this paper will show that the solution to incarceration and recidivism is not as simple as legislation . It is clear that while there are programs that have been successful in lowering incarceration and recidivism rates in the US, similar to the successful ones in Norway, the societal perspective on crime is preventing the US from being proactive about decreasing incarceration and recidivism .