Prison Break!

Friend Fabian writes to tell us about a German law allowing for a prisoner’s right to escape. Sure enough, Wikipedia explains: Escaping from prison isa criminal offense in countries such as the United States and Canada, and usually results in time being added to the inmate’s sentence … In Germany and a number of other countries, it is considered human nature to want to escape from a prison and it is considered as a violation of the right of freedom, so escape is not penalized in itself (in the absence of other factors such as threats of violence, actual violence, or property damage). The countries who see the desire to escape as human nature include: Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Iceland, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil “Isn’t it interesting,” writes Fabien, “how they recognise our desire to be free from confinement as a natural given?” It is. It’s something I’ve often wondered about because the alternative seems So disingenuous. Other illegalities I’ve…