In the US, prison is synonymous with punishment.
That's not the case in all countries around the world, where many prisons are built to rehabilitate even the most violent offenders.
The amenities in these places can get pretty swanky — relatively speaking. Think pristine basketball gyms in Norway or pool tables in Wales.
Here are just a sampling of prisons around the world that redefine what it means to be locked up.
SEE ALSO: Photos of maximum-security prisons in Norway and the US reveal the extremes of prison life
In Finland, Suomenlinna Prison has no barbed wire to keep inmates within its borders. Instead, there is a small picket fence. For that reason, it is often called the "open prison."
Source: This is Finland
In nearby Norway, Halden Prison lets inmates cook, play video games, shoot hoops, and sleep on plush beds. Rooms look more like college dorms than cells. The idea is to treat convicts like people, so they will re-enter society in a healthy mindset.
Source: The New York Times
Like Halden, the Otago Corrections Facility in New Zealand looks more like a teenager's bedroom than a prison. There are health facilities and a library designed to keep people feeling like members of society.
Source: Otago Daily Times
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