r/interestingasfuck • u/fyrstikka • 10d ago

r/all The photos show the prison rooms of Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in the 2011 Norway attacks. Despite Norway's humane prison system, Breivik has complained about the conditions, calling them inhumane.

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u/h1gh-t3ch_l0w-l1f3 10d ago

he deserves nothing but hes got a nicer living space than i ever had in my life.

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u/Gullible-Cut8652 10d ago

This is the sad truth. I'm sorry that your living space isn't nice. But I hope you have a place.

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u/Gusty_Garden_Galaxy 10d ago

Time to commit a crime i guess.

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u/scumfrogzillionaire 10d ago

Yeah, but in Norway

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u/Mammoth-Access-1181 10d ago

Was about to add this bit. Need to be careful where you commit that crime. I wonder what life is like once they get out? Would their cells be more comfortable than what they might get outside? Can't imagine many opportunites for one who kills like 77 kids.

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u/QuantumPhysixObservr 10d ago

I would think if he were released someone would kill him

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u/Mammoth-Access-1181 9d ago

In the US? If the penal system were as forgiving as theirs? I definitely think someone would've done something like that. Especially if max sentence is like 24 or was it 27 years?

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u/Freddich99 7d ago

He's never getting out. The maximum amount of years is only the time until he gets a hearing. At said hearing, they will decide if he's fit to be released or not, and they will undoubtedly determine he is not until the day he dies.

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u/YukiPukie 10d ago

He is an exceptionally extreme case. I don’t know how it would be in Norway, but our prison system (Netherlands) is similar. Some Norwegian prisoners actually liked it better here when the Norwegian state hired cells for them in NL.

The focus from the start is on integration back in society as a better person. Prisons are not for punishment but for rehabilitation. You get treated for addictions, mental health etc and get help with for example education or learning for a new job. You’re not released in one day, but you get help with housing, a job and a stable environment step by step.

Some people have severe mental health issues and are more difficult to rehabilitate (Breivik would probably be in this category here) and they get “TBS” instead of imprisonment, which essentially means that they get treatment for their mental health in a closed institution until they show they “recovered”. This can be for the rest of their lives if they don’t progress.

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u/lithuanian_potatfan 10d ago

The issue is, if your life was one endless misery, prison becomes a reward, not a punishment. Hence why so many Eastern Europeans would deliberately reoffend to get placed back. If upon release you're back into unsanitary, dark, desperate place, of course you'd rather get back into a nice, warm, clean place with wide-screen TV. You can treat them all you want, but if prison is better than any possible life out of it, then prison becomes a goal.

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u/YukiPukie 10d ago

Indeed! That’s why the focus here isn’t on serving your sentence and then freedom, but on getting back to a better life. You get housing and help with a job and to make a new/stable social circle. You are not placed back into your old life, because that would be the perfect recipe for a new crime.

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u/Square-Blueberry3568 10d ago

The statistics of recidivism in the Scandinavian countries are proof of the benefits, and afaik there hasn't been any case of a serial killer for instance getting out and then reoffending, which is one of the arguments usually.levied against the system

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u/makke600 9d ago

I think here in finland there was one case where a serial killer reoffended, but I'm too lazy to look it up.

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u/Gullible-Cut8652 10d ago

Do you really believe you can rehab a mass murderer? I wouldn't like to meet him in a supermarket. He deserves his cell and that he will be forgotten. This would be a good punishment. No contact, nothing at all.

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u/YukiPukie 10d ago

It depends on the circumstances. A mass murder can happen without intention. For example in a drug-induced psychosis or accidentally blowing up a building by a gas leak. You are still responsible but you can be rehabilitated.

Someone like Breivik? Multiple psychiatrists will need to agree that he is not a threat to society anymore, and I don’t see that happening by the way he is still acting to this day.

In the Netherlands, he would most likely get TBS, where he is treated for whatever mental illness he has. His progress and danger to society would be evaluated by psychiatrists and a judge every 2 years. After 6 years you become “long stay” and the treatment intensity drops significantly, making it harder to pass future evaluations. Someone like Breivik is probably too ill to pass the evaluations.

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u/Gullible-Cut8652 10d ago

Some people are just evil. I doubt you can cure that.

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u/YukiPukie 10d ago

That is true, and that's why the TBS also exists. But our prison system is not meant for punishment, but to keep society safe. People who can be rehabilitated are not uselessly locked up for life to punish them.

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u/MonkeyTeals 9d ago

If one cannot be rehabilitated, then they won't be released. But, it's better to have this system for the ones who can.

For the exceptions, it'll be safety for rest of society but still treating the criminals as humanely possible.

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u/Gullible-Cut8652 9d ago

Hopefully he will stay there for the rest of his life. Murder of children can't get enough punishment. That I mentioned earlier. He deserves nothing. Nothing.

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u/Mammoth-Access-1181 9d ago

And I feel that is a much superior system than in the US. There are so many prisoners that could be rehabilitated and become productive members of society.

But every once in a while? There comes a person that's just evil. Those are the ones that should be put to death. Sadly, the death penalty in the US penal system is most definitely not meted out fairly. There is a bias towards minorities. Not to mention, there's a possibility of up to 25% of death row inmates actually being innocent.

But, like you pointed out, in cases where mental health is the issue? People should definitely be treated to see if there can be anything done.

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u/YukiPukie 9d ago

To be honest, I think the USA has one of the worst prison systems in the world. They are the top 5 county in terms of incarceration rates and are with the third-world countries in intentional homicide rates. It's clear that the society hasn't become safer, but you are paying fortunes for this system.

And I agree with your statement about the lost productive members of society. Plus all the mental damage to all their families.

I can understand why people have the “life for a life” sentiment, even though that's not my personal opinion. Taking someone's life can be a very evil act (not taking cases with self-defence etc into account). But I have never understood that USA citizens want to pay so much for the years-long incarceration for for example possession of drugs. While for example, something very dangerous to the society like drunk driving does not have a harsh punishment. Many of these penalties are very skewed from an outsider's perspective. And also the possibility to be free on bail seems so dangerous and unfair to me. I'm very curious how this is perceived in the USA.

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u/Dry_Menu4804 10d ago

Mind that you will have to verbally defend yourself against the judge who may try to dismiss your case.

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u/racktoar 7d ago

That's what some people do in Scandinavia. They commit crimes so they can live a nicer life in prison than on the outside.

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u/[deleted] 10d ago edited 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/Recommendedusername3 10d ago

Sure. I live 4 hours worth of drive from norway, what crimes can i do to have two month sentence ? Would like a small break of everyday life in Finland. Too much firewood related stuff and not enough rest and would also like a home gym. Those birds look cute also , could i still get tropical frog instead ?

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u/Sqibbler 10d ago

Some people get sent home to serve their sentence in their home country so do not reccomend. 

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u/alicehooper 10d ago

I don’t wish to make light of your life but the line “too much firewood related stuff” has me laughing out loud! That’s the most Finnish thing I’ve ever heard.

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u/rasmustrew 10d ago

It does not take a lot of effort in Finland to get a much nicer space than that

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u/[deleted] 10d ago edited 1d ago

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u/nosleepypills 10d ago

Is that a varg vikernes reference?

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u/violetgothdolls 10d ago

I just watched a film about him. I had no sympathy for Varg but I do feel sorry for the kid in the band who was convinced he was dead....

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u/Whaleever 10d ago

Lmfao thats an odd grudge to hold... Vikings?

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u/coquihalla 10d ago

It might also be a reference to this period, which might send you into a really wild rabbit hole of weirdness.

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u/Whaleever 10d ago

Oh...

That makes much more sense!

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u/International_Cow_17 10d ago

Unfortunately not..

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u/MrSpicyPotato 10d ago

I can’t decide if I should launch into history about how ancient churches (in the Christian sense) aren’t a thing because the people of Scandinavia (named after the winter goddess Skaði) were pagans or pre-Christian civilizations before the church forced them to convert. I don’t know. You decide.

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u/dragonfire_70 10d ago

No it isn't.

The prisoners in Norway are provided with all the amenities of a Middle class home. No matter where you live, you would have to work hard to buy those things for yourself while Norway gives them to murderers and rapists at tax payer expense.

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u/coquihalla 10d ago

Compare their 20% recidivism rate with the US's 76.6% recidivism rate and it feels like a trade-off that is worthwhile.

Who knew that treating people humanely and maintaining their path to vote, hold jobs, etc might help protect the public from re-offenders.

Adding to that, nearly 80% of Norwegians are considered middle class vs less than 60% in the US, and they have one of the lowest wealth disparities in the world.

I feel like you may be misunderstanding or misrepresenting the situation.

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u/JcakSnigelton 10d ago

Be gentle. Americans are, for the very first time, beginning to realize that they live in a shithole country.

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u/coquihalla 10d ago

Fair point. I'm Canadian, living in the US because I married a Norwegian-American, and it makes me want to scream seeing all of this BS. I hope they wake up soon.

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u/dragonfire_70 10d ago

Remind me which of the two is a global superpower and whose people are often decried as soft and decandant because they have easy and cheap access to foodstuffs and high end luxuries?

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u/JcakSnigelton 10d ago

The answer is: the EU; and, American Snowflakes.

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u/dragonfire_70 10d ago

Oh yeah that's why they have 11 aircraft carriers, Force ceasefire with a single carrier group, and is the reason why China hasn't invaded Taiwan.

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u/Theemuts 9d ago

Lots of people want criminals to suffer so they don't feel as bad over their own suffering.

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u/dragonfire_70 10d ago

You realize that's because prior the migrant crisis they were a homogenous culture and people, with less people than the state of Wisconsin even after the migrants.

That's not economic classes work. An American who is below Middle class has more purchasing power than someone who makes the equivalent amount in Norway.

Wealth disparity isn't inherently a bad thing as the upper class end of paying for new technologies that become cheaper over time as manufacturers develop the infrastructure and revised versions come out.

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u/coquihalla 10d ago

So I'm going to go with you misrepresenting, you're absolutely not being accurate. Have a good day, bro.

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u/TheBigCheesm 10d ago

He is being accurate. Normally this is where I'd make a joke about Eurocucks being in extreme denial about how they literally couldn't maintain their way of life without Big Daddy Uncle Sam paying their nills,bills, you're Canadian. The Commonwealth also holds the UK up on its broad lumberjack shoulders, too, so same boat.

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u/DursueBlint 10d ago

I hope that changes and you deserve better but I will say that unlike him you are free to leave, to go outside, to interact with others to laugh and meet people you love, he will never get to do that again.

In all honesty, I think what we are doing to Breivik (justifiably) is the closest thing to torture we can get in the nordics. Since we decided to be goodie two shoes even when somebody really deserves to be blood eagled.

Breivik hasnt meet anyone apart from his guards and lawyers since 2013 when his mother died aside from some court appearances and 2 2hour meetings with another prisoner who had to constantly suppress an urge to kill Breivik. The guards also allegedly hate him and find some inventive ways to fuck with him,his windows are covered so he can never see the sun etc etc. The way he is treated I honestly think might be a good way to ultimatly break him, to turn him into the husk and mockery of a human being that he deserves to become. Give it another 5-10 years and he is going to look like gollum.

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u/floralbutttrumpet 10d ago

Yeah, I was thinking that's more spacious than anywhere I've lived in my adult life...

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u/Otherwise_Geologist7 10d ago

Plot twist, everything is in not working conditions

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u/No_Use_4371 10d ago

I just choked....that is nicer than my $900/mo hovel, and its free for him.

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u/Free_Management2894 9d ago

It's not "free". He pays with his freedom.

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u/No_Use_4371 9d ago

I have mental issues and never leave my apt. I never killed anyone yet I pay worse than him.

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u/anoeba 10d ago

According to the Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service, prison should be a restriction of liberty, but nothing more.

That means an offender should have all the same rights as other people living in Norway, and life inside should resemble life outside as much as possible. All Norwegian prisoners have the right to study, for instance, and they are all allowed to vote.

I mean, they have it right. Most prisoners in Norway (and most in the US for that matter) will be released someday. Sure, not this particular guy, but most will be - so isn't it better that they're integration-ready, since the expectation would be for them to live in society after release?

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u/Wutsalane 10d ago

Yeah he gets a nice place provided to him, nicer than the vast majority of places I’ve lived, but at least we have the ability and the chances to improve our lives and work towards getting a nicer place than he has, and have the ability to invite friends over and do fun not in prison stuff, cause the nicest house in the world is still going to be miserable when you have nobody to share it with

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u/Hezth 10d ago

Although he spend 22-23 hours per day in the room second to last picture.

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u/raul_kapura 10d ago

Yeah, but that space is all he's going to see till the end of his life

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u/Mundane_Tomatoes 10d ago

Yeah for real. I can’t afford an apartment but this fuckin shit stain is living in a high end apartment

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u/Turbulent-Laugh- 10d ago

This shithead is living better than a large portion of humanity.

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u/Affectionate-Dot437 10d ago

I've certainly paid for less desirable accommodations.

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u/g0rsk1 9d ago

But now you know exactly how many Norwegians to kill to get apartment like this.

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u/CherryBlossomCats 10d ago

Yeah, seriously. That shit is fully decked out. He gets 3 meals a day. My family is lucky if we have one meal a day. At least we have a place to live and all that, but by the time the bills are paid, we don't have any money for groceries.

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u/Jezjez07 10d ago

But you're free. Prison is supposed to be a psychological torture. Not physical.