This man is serving a life sentence for murder. Swimming in the frozen lake behind the prison is part of his regular exercise routine.
Welcome to one of Finland's open prisons. There are no prison blocks here, only dormitories. Inmates come and go using their own cars.
When Matti isn't on a nearby college campus, he stays in his dormitory, studying for a career in the tech industry.
“I have books on entrepreneurship, marketing, user experience and computer science,” explains Matti, a convict in Laukaa prison.
— We have a “principle of normality” that prisoners should be treated like everyone else, even though they are prisoners. Therefore, they should have access to the same services and have the same rights as other citizens, explains Pia Puolakka, head of the Smart Prison Program at the Institution of Criminal Sanctions.
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Finnish prisons look like a different reality
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In recent years, Finland has been recognized as the happiest and safest country in the world
Citizens have access to generous public benefits, universal health care, subsidized kindergartens for children and free higher education.
Promotional videos like this one, produced by the Finnish Criminal Sanctions Institution, document how prisoners are reintegrated into society through employment opportunities and the help of counselors.
Rate of prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants in Finland is one of the lowest in Europe and is one quarter of what it was in 1950. In Finland, only one in three ex-convicts returns to prison.
Compare this to the United States, where two-thirds of people are returned to prison within two years of release.
Rate of prisoners per 100,000 population in Finland is one of the lowest in Europe
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The 2018 bill included sentencing reforms intended to reduce recidivism, but they only apply to inmates in federal prisons, or just 10%. of the 2.3 million people in US prisons.
Critics say the 2018 reforms are only a small first step and fall far short of the significant changes that Finland is so proud of. The scale is of course different. There are currently fewer than 3,000 people in Finland's prison system. The number of people in prison in the US is half the total population of Finland.
Rethinking what prison looks like began almost 70 years ago, when this Scandinavian country began building one of the most humane systems in the world.
In its latest move, the Finnish Criminal Sanctions Authority is investing heavily in technology training.
— The first topic is: “what is AI?” The second is: “solving problems with AI,” says Matti.
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The Finnish prison system and technological solutions
A modern, intelligent prison for women was also built. Even VR technology is being tested to give inmates an escape from the gloomy walls and fluorescent lighting of the high-security prison in Turku. This is Mika, who has 5 years left of his 15-year sentence. He walks in a three-dimensional forest.
– Taking off these glasses is terrible because then I come back to this reality – says Mika, a convict in Turku prison.
Mika appreciates the opportunity to use VR technology and learn the basics of computer operation.
Some prisoners were released and then came back and said it was difficult to cope because everything was different from before and computerized. Therefore, it is good to learn these skills
– he explains.
We try to educate prisoners so that they can use Internet services in a sensible way. This is to help them resocialize and take care of themselves and their everyday affairs. They learn the skills they need to be part of society again
says Pia.
Finland is investing in infrastructure to support this change – a €34 million prison that many hope will set the standard for the future. No bars, glass windows, Internet access in every room and small amenities to ensure comfort.
Finland shows what the 21st century looks like behind bars
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Education and technology in a women's prison in Finland
“This is our specialty – the sofa,” says Tuomo Kärjenmäki, director of Hämeenlinna prison.
The new prison in Hämeenlinna is to be the most technologically advanced women's prison in Europe. Across the street there is a relic of the past. The old facility, built in 1972, once housed both men and women. It closed in 2019 after years of neglect and due to mold and other problems.
“This bucket used to be a toilet,” Tuomo says.
— Where were they emptied? – asks the producer.
– Here. The smell was terrible, he replies
The 19th century relic is just a few minutes' drive away. It was modeled on the American prison model that is still widely used: cells were arranged on a radial plan and prisoners lived in solitary confinement. Nowadays, it is a museum that shows how hard the lives of prisoners used to be.
The path to resocialization led Matti to a career he had never even dreamed of before. He started cooperation with the Reaktor agency, which designs online educational courses. When they found out he was taking part in our recording, they invited him to express his opinion on the program.
Matti started cooperation with the Reaktor agency, which designs online educational courses
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— I would like to know what you think about the first course? What was your impression? – asks Aleksi Lumme, leader of the Elements of AI program at Reaktor.
— He showed in a simple way what AI is and what it is not. It was very good. It also showed that AI is not magic, explains Matti.
Seeing him at this meeting, it's easy to forget that Matti is still serving a sentence for murder. During this time, he hopes to complete his higher education and start a business.
One way to find employment is, of course, to start your own company. Many prisoners have an entrepreneurial mentality
says Matti.
Based on Matti's recommendation, Reaktor plans to add an entrepreneurship course to the prison curriculum.
— This meeting strengthened my trust in the Finnish prison system, which gives opportunities to people like you. It's amazing – Aleksi smiles.
After the meeting, Matti returns to Laukaa prison. However, he is excited about the future.
Matti: When I started serving my sentence, I thought that only negative things would await me in prison and that my life was over.
I think people deserve a chance.
This is the most important thing.
