On Monday, Marius Borg Hoiby was convicted on two counts of rape, alongside several other criminal offences. The 29-year-old wasn’t in court to hear his sentence; however, it has been reported that he is appealing the conviction.
Marius was initially held at Oslo Prison, but ahead of the trial, he was transferred to Ila Detention and Security Prison, located just outside of Oslo.
The prison houses some of Norway’s most dangerous criminals, including prisoners who have been handed the most serious sentences from Norway’s criminal justice system.
Ila holds up to 124 prisoners, housed across 12 wings. Among Marius’ fellow inmates is Anders Behring Breivik, who was convicted of carrying out the 2011 Norway attacks; however, he is unlikely to cross paths with the mass murderer, as Anders is prevented from casual contact with other inmates.
Facilities at Ila Prison
Scandinavian prisons are famous for their nice interiors, and in handout photos, several resemble university dorm rooms, with a bed, wooden desk, computer and wall-mounted television with access to 15 channels. Several computers are cut off from the internet or have a myriad of filters to prevent contact with the outside world.
Areas that allow prisoners to mix feature dining tables like you would find in a normal home, alongside sofas, game consoles, windows with curtains and some cooking facilities, including a microwave.
Focusing on rehabilitation, Ila Prison also hosts an educational facility, with desks, binders and a whiteboard, much like an ordinary classroom. Other facilities at the prison allow inmates to read or meditate.
Ila also hosts its own greenhouse, allowing inmates to grow their own food, which can be used in their meals. A chapel is also on-site, with some rooms having been converted.
It’s believed that the nice facilities help cut the risk of reoffending, and Norway boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the world.
Despite the criminals held at the facility, guards at the prison aren’t armed with firearms, although they do carry tear gas and batons. The force, which totals 230, is also made up of an equal split between men and women.
© Alamy Stock PhotoSpeaking to the BBC back in 2012, Ellen Bjercke, a spokesperson for the prison, explained: “I’ve been in this business for 30 years and I have never seen gas being used. We use it very, very seldom.”
She was talking to the organisation following the trial of Anders Behring Breivik, and on the prison culture, Ellen added: “I like to put it this way: he’s a human being. He has human rights. This is about creating a humane prison regime.”
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