# Fish Tanks, Plants and Podcast Studios — Some States Try a New Approach to Incarceration

> Several U.S. states, including Pennsylvania and California, are piloting or expanding prison units modeled on Nordic approaches that prioritize rehabilitation over punishment, featuring elements like …

**Published**: 2026-06-02
**Source**: https://gps.press/gps-news/fish-tanks-plants-and-podcast-studios-some-states-try-a-new-approach-to-incarceration/
**Author**: GPS Staff

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Several U.S. states, including Pennsylvania and California, are piloting or expanding prison units modeled on Nordic approaches that prioritize rehabilitation over punishment, featuring elements like plants, fish tanks, and vocational training. Pennsylvania announced it will expand its "Little Scandinavia" unit from SCI Chester to three additional facilities after a study showed only one physical altercation since the unit opened in 2022. California is spending nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to transform San Quentin into a Scandinavian-style rehabilitation center with a podcast studio and farmer's market, though the project has drawn criticism from incarcerated journalist Steve Brooks and some victims' rights groups. The article does not mention any connection to Georgia or the Georgia Department of Corrections.