Some people just don’t like to go to prison, for various reasons. The easiest way to prevent having to go in the first place is of course Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time. But if that ship has sailed, and you have been convicted to a (long-term) prison sentence, there is only 1 hope left…
And that is: Having to serve your sentence in Norway. Because then you can simply not show up at the prison!
‘And wait for law enforcement to come and get me? No thanks!’ would be the reply of some of you. Well, not to worry about that. In Norway there is no law against not showing up to serve your sentence! Yes, I know this sounds ridiculous, but it is true (unfortunately…). This article in Aftenposten informed me about this idiotic loophole in the Norwegian justice system. 20-25% of convicted criminals simply do not show up at the jail where they are supposed to serve, and this is perfectly legal!
Although Parliament has passed new legislation making it a criminal offense to skip prison, the law has not yet been implemented and until it is, prison authorities can do nothing but hope that the criminals will eventually show up at the prison gates…
“Some people just don’t get that it’s better to get the sentence over and done with as soon as possible,” said Ellinor Houm, director of the Norwegian Correctional Services, section for eastern Norway.