Bastøy Prison

Bastøy is a correctional facility located on an island in the Oslo fjord, spread across multiple square kilometers with wooden cottages, farmland, and open recreational spaces. Around 115 male residents live there, performing maintenance work, caring for animals, and working in agriculture alongside receiving prepared meals.

The facility began as an island settlement in the early 1500s and later became a prison. It transformed fundamentally after 1982 from a harsh institution for young offenders into a system focused on rehabilitation through work and education.

The prison reflects Norwegian values about human dignity and personal responsibility. You notice how residents move around freely during the day, work on various tasks, and live in cottage-like settings rather than behind bars.

The island is reachable from the mainland and offers a quiet, rural daily routine unlike typical prisons. Visitors should understand this is a working facility and respect the balance between access and the privacy of residents.

The facility operates with minimal nighttime staff supervision, while residents manage their own responsibilities. This unusual approach works because people there receive trust and have motivations not to abuse it.