FCK vs. Brønby and a Closed Prison

One of the many things I have really enjoyed about DIS is that most of the classes involve "field studies."  We don't officially have classes on Wednesday because that is the day set aside for field studies.  For our Danish class, we had the option of going to a Danish fodbold game (American soccer).  The game was FCK (FC København) vs. Brønby (their rivals).  From what I had seen of the Danes up to that point, they are pretty quite.  However, this all changed when they watched sports.  Throughout the entire game there were chants going-and I'm not exaggerating-they literally never stopped chanting.  If they did, it was to sing.  This game was probably a little less intense than most between the two rivals because the Brønby fans were boycotting it.  After a few of them set fire to the stadium seats at a previous game, the officials had made a rule requiring Brønby fans to be fingerprinted when they bought their tickets.  The fans thought that was an infringement on their rights, so they protested this game completely.  However, even without the Brønby fans the game was still intense.  At the beginning of the game they played the very FCK anthem.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emhjjm-VTpo  The song is put to the tune of I Don't Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats and is so catchy.  We had practiced singing it in Danish class that way we could join in when it was played.  All of the cheering payed off and FCK won 3-1!

The seats directly across were set aside for Brønby fans-and all but about 20 were empty

Apparently these fans didn't get the memo about boycotting

The soccer game was a lot of fun, but my favorite field study so far has been to The State Prison in Vridsløsellille.  Unlike the first prison I visited, this was a closed prison-the closest thing that Denmark has to what Americans consider a prison, although it is still very different.  When I was researching study abroad programs I read about this field study, and although other factors played a role, this field study was one of the large deciding factors.  However, only 20 students were allowed to go and 40 had signed up.  My teacher did a lottery, and I was #37.  This basically meant that almost everyone who had signed up would need to back out in order for me to go.  I was disappointed to say the least.  However, the day before the field study, a boy in my class told the teacher that he couldn't make it.  Since it was such short notice she decided not to look at the waiting list but just throw out the opportunity to anyone in my class.  I obviously pounced on it, and just like that was able to go.  After already having gone to the open prison, I was really excited to see how they would compare.  Upon arriving we were told that we would talk to a prisoner who was the spokesperson for all the prisoners.  However, he was sick so we were to talk to two other inmates.  The first guy we talked to was very likable.  He explained to us that he was a recovering drug addict, and while under the influence of many drugs had murdered someone.  He had recognized that he had a problem and when he was put in prison requested to be in the substance free wing.  This wing was reserved for inmates who have had past addictions but have recovered and would like to live with others like themselves that way they can share their stories and help each other to stay clean.  We  were told that this was the nicest wing.  There were a couple of nice fish tanks, shelves outside the inmates rooms to put their shoes on so that they didn't get there "cell" dirty, as well as nice framed works of art covering the walls.  While we were talking to him, two of the other inmates were cooking their dinner (yes, they cook for themselves).  One went into the guards office, asked for a knife, and came out holding a cooking knife that was about 8 inches long and very sharp.  Our teacher just looked at us and smiled as he walked by us into the kitchen.  There are inmates doing time for murder, and yet they are allowed to handle knives like that to cook.  Oh Denmark.  Contrary to what you would think, there are very few stabbings.  We toured another wing where an inmate playfully called the guard "mom."  She had been working there for quite a few years and a lot of the inmates saw her as a motherly figure.  None of the guards carried any sort of weapon.  There was no need.  She had a walking talky if she ever needed help, and she said in the 15 or so years she had worked at that prison, she had only used it once.  The prison was arranged in a circle-there was a small common area in the middle and then each of the wings branched out from there.  It was three stories high.  They separated the prisoners according to certain characteristics.  For example, the Hells Angels would be in a different wing than their rival gang, and that way many conflicts were avoided.  We were able to tour the church as well as the yard outside.  The whole place really didn't have a prison feel.  Yes, there was a fence.  But that was about it.  Afterward we were brought to a conference room where we talked to another prisoner.  He told us that he was in prison for killing two cops in Finland and robbing a bank.  He also mentioned in passing that this was his second time in prison.  He has a wife and a son and is currently allowed to go on unguarded trips home for the weekend.  Coming from the US, where if you  kill a cop you will probably never see the light of day, we were shocked to here this.  The prisoner spoke in perfect English, was very charming, and truly seem remorseful.  When asked if he thought he deserved a chance at parole he thought for a minute before responding with, "I don't think I do, but my wife and my son do."  Obviously carefully thought out and phrased.  He also gave his view of the American prison system  saying that it was awful and we treated people like caged animals.  Being able to talk to him was really a once in a life time experience.  On the metro ride home, our teacher informed us that we had just met one of the most dangerous men in Denmark.  We also learned that had casually left out some significant parts of his previous criminal activity.  He was originally in jail for a bank robbery, during which he raped one of his hostages.  After serving five years for that he was allowed to go home for a weekend, during which time he broke the rules of his unguarded leave and went to Finland.  There he became involved in an altercation that ended with him shooting two Finnish cops.  He led the cops on the biggest criminal chase ever in Finland.  He is now serving his first sentence on top of his second sentence.  However, despite his past history, he is now being allowed out on unguarded leave certain weekends to visit his family.  Although this may sound absolutely crazy, I think Denmark is really on to something with their philosophy of rehabilitation into society.  Their prison system may be much more relaxed than the American one, but on average they have about 70 people in prison per 100,000 where as the US has about 700 people per 100,000.  By helping inmates integrate back into society and giving them something else to turn to other than crime when they are released, there are less people committing crime again and being put back in prison.  This was honestly the best field trip I have ever been on.  Thank you DIS!