Twenty-one Years, and Holding.

21 years to go

The Breivek saga is finally over, and according to Breivik--He’s the winner! Anders Behring Breivik fought charges of bomb and gun attacks on July 22, 2011, killing seventy-seven people as he detonated a car bomb at the government headquarters in Oslo and then opened fire at the annual summer camp of the governing Labor Party's youth wing.

"The 22nd July attack was a preventive attack in defence of my ethnic group, and I cannot acknowledge guilt," he told the court. "I acted on behalf of my people, my religion and my country. I therefore demand that I be acquitted."

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Breivik insisted that the attacks were meant to draw attention to his extreme right-wing ideology and to inspire a multi-decade uprising by "militant nationalists" across Europe. The trial ended with a verdict that Breivik was not insane and must serve a maximum jail term which, in Norway, is 21 years in prison. However sentences can be extended as long as an inmate is considered too dangerous to be released, and legal experts say Breivik will almost certainly spend the rest of his life in prison. There is no death penalty in Norway.

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Norway’s penal system differs from that of the American system. Their system is based on rehabilitation, teaching the inmate to respect life, and gain self-respect in order to find their place in society.Penal conditions are far different than that of U.S. prisons. A recent modern institution in Norway is Halden Prison at Halden, Norway.

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A cell in Halden prison includes amenities such as a television, a refrigerator, unbarred vertical windows that let in more light, and designer furniture and a sound studio. There are cooking and music classes offered. Half the guards are women and guards are typically unarmed because guns "create unnecessary intimidation and social distance".

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Prisoners receive questionnaires that ask how their prison experience can be improved. Due to this humanitarian attitude and rehabilitation programs, it has been said that only 20% of Norway's prisoners end up back in jail within 2 years (compared to 50%–60% in the UK and US). Prisoner governor Are Hoidal was quoted as saying, "In the Norwegian prison system, there's a focus on human rights and respect."

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However, Anders Breivek will not be lodging in one of the more-pleasing facilities. Instead, he will be spending the remainder of his life at high security, but still humanitarian Ila Prison, near Oslo. -----------------

Founded as a women's prison, Ila was used as a concentration camp during the Nazi occupation of Norway in the 1940s. Modernized, the prison has 12 wings and can hold 124 prisoners .Breivek will have no access to these fellow inmates for some time. At Ila, he will have access only to three relatively dingy and bare cells, each measuring eight square metres (86 square feet). One is for sleeping, one is for physical exercise with workout machines, and one is a workspace that has a laptop nailed to a desk. -----------------

During his earlier prison stay awaiting the trial, Breivek wrote and e-mailed a 1518 page manifesto that consisted of “cut and pasted” articles from web-sites, all condemning “multiculturism” and entitled “ A European Declaration of Independence”. Breivik has been curious to learn whether his manifesto, which was e-mailed to 1,000 addressees 90 minutes prior to the bomb blast, has begun to take root in society. Apparently, not..

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Because of this tragedy, and the slow response of police officials, there has been discussion of reviewing Norway’s judicial system. Changes may be in order, but, at this time, the case is closed. Breivek wins 21 years at Ila.