Presumably Norway. Norway is quite remarkable, because they have perhaps the nicest and most lax prisons in the world, and I think their longest jail sentence is 21 years or something... and yet, they have extremely low levels of recidivism and people who come out exclaim that they never want to be back.

Anyway, to answer the question... I'd rather not do anything justifying prison, but if I should be faced with a case of me being innocent and facing jail time for somebody else's crime... I'd choose life in prison - it's not a final decision, after all.

Mind you, I'm a big believer in the idea that the "death penalty" should be abolished entirely (it serves as a mercy to the unrepentantly guilty, it's a pure mistake for the innocent, and it misses the point for the repentantly guilty). That said, I'm also a believer that death should be an option for those who face life in prison without parole. If it's the criminal's decision to die, then it saves the expenses of repeat appeals (which run up massive costs), would be able to be done more quickly, and would then enable a reduction of costs of keeping them alive (like food, etc). And with a reasonable "waiting period" to ensure that they can't just decide they want to die and be killed the next day, there would be protections to make sure it's not just a mercy, and would also enable enough time to ensure that any remaining doubts about guilt are resolved first.

Essentially, I feel that the state shouldn't murder people any more than anybody else, but that criminals facing life in prison shouldn't be subject to the law against suicide (or assisted suicide, as this would be)... but it should be regulated and made as humane as possible.

most would choose life in prison over the death sentence and years on death row waiting to be executed. life regardless if you are in or out of prison is better than being forever dead. life is short, any life beats being dead forever.

death ... ... ..by exile.

I think that has less to do with their prisons and more to do with their culture.

Culture, it's the one thing EVERYBODY seems to ignore when comparing countries and trying to figure out what policys work best... yet it's the one facet of our lives that has a serious noticeable effect on everything from crime rates, to how long you'll live naturally to productions levels, unemployment, corruption...

practically everything involving a human really.

As for the above...  Life in prison.

Why?   I'd be alive.

Prison isn't THAT bad.  

I mean hell... is being a prisoner really much worse then being your average person in mideviel times?

Farm, then spend the rest of your day lieing in bed to not waste energy while some asshole king took all of your profit?

At least in prison your time is yours... you can read and shit... be well behaved you get all kinds of priveledges.

Heck I mean i bet there are corners of the world where people would sign up to go to US prisons just to get out of the hell holes they live in now.

This goes slightly along with some of Kasz answer...

Honestly as far as America there are many prisons that actually almost look like a cheap hotel. Near where I live there was a fairly new prison built.

They have big screen TVs in their dining, and recreational room. They always get a well balanced meal 3 times a day. A bed to sleep in, take showers, crap on a nice tiolet, read books, ect. Honestly folks as long as a prisoner is well behaved they get handed everything which a lot is payed for by working tax payers. there are people I hear about in my community that actually commit a crime during summer or winter, because they don't have much so that they can live in prison for a while and get fed, a bed and taken care of.

Our prisons really aren't punishment much anymore other than lack of freedom to the outside world and restricted contact with loved ones.

I fully agree with everything you just said. Which is also disturbingly why I'm such a death penalty proponent. I DON'T want someone, for example, that raped a girl, murdered someone (well murder, not so much accidental manslaughter), or some other heinous thing to have a life better than some poor, honest, unlucky, person whose only fault was just being born in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Life in Prison. Here you get TVs Videogames can have sex (with women) sometimes. And there are drugs you can get in every prison. Also they allow you to learn jobs and do sports. It definetly beats death and you can always get some Heroin/Methadone as exit ticket. I hear in Norway its even better.

Life in prison obviously. I mean, death has no advantages.

With life in prison, you can still enjoy life through reading, speaking to family, etc. And if you really can't tolerate prison, you could try to escape. You might succeed and become free, or you may fail and die. I'd rather risk death than guarantee death.

In America? Give me prison. Free housing and food for as long as I'm in there, plus I'd probably make parole and be out after like 5 years. The American Justice System! Ain't it the best?

Death sentence.

Suicide won't be easy in prison. How could you do it quickly? MAYBE you could hang yourself but that could fail, and if it did I imagine it'd be incredibly painful.