Changes in Crime and Punishment in America, England and Sweden Between the 1980s and the 1990s

• NCJ Number: 152854
• Journal: Studies on Crime and Crime Prevention Volume: 3 Dated: (1994) Pages: 104-131
• Author(s): D P Farrington; P A Langan; P-O H Wikstrom
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 28 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: Norway
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, International Crime Statistics Program

Annotation

The authors extend previous research and provide national estimates for the flow of offenders through the criminal justice system in the United States, England, and Sweden between 1981 and 1991.

Abstract

National estimates for six offenses (burglary, vehicle theft, robbery, assault, rape, and homicide) show that burglary and vehicle theft increased considerably in England and Sweden over the 10-year period. Police data revealed large increases in assaults but not in victimization. The risk of conviction and custody generally increased in the United States but decreased in England and Sweden, especially for burglary and vehicle theft. A high negative correlation was observed between changes in the crime rate and changes in the probability of an offender being convicted. The need to investigate the relationship between changes in the risk of punishment and changes in crime rates is discussed. 53 references and 9 tables