Think Out Loud

What can Oregon’s criminal justice system learn from Norway? Corrections officials and state lawmakers visited Norway a couple of years ago – and then last year 14 Oregon corrections officials and officers visited a Norwegian prison in a unique kind of exchange program. Heidi Steward and Toby Tooley are among those sharing their findings at the Justice Reinvestment Summit in Salem this week. We sit down with them at the summit to get their takeaways and learn about the kinds of changes they want to make right away in Oregon. We also talk with Kim Ekhaugen of the Norwegian Correctional Service, who is in Salem to share with Oregon corrections officials how Norway treats inmates with behavioral and mental health issues, one of the most difficult populations to handle.