NCJ Number
58114
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CONTROL OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN SCANDINAVIA ARE SURVEYED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE DEEMPHASIS OF SPECIALIZED TREATMENT FOR JUVENILES IN THE 1970'S.
Abstract
SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES TRADITIONALLY HAVE EMPLOYED A CHILD WELFARE MODEL (AS OPPOSED TO A JUVENILE COURT MODEL) OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CONTROL, ACCORDING SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS UP TO A CERTAIN AGE (14 OR 15), AFTER WHICH YOUTHS ARE REFERRED TO ORDINARY COURTS. THROUGH THE 1950'S, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY LAWS AND PRACTICES IN SCANDINAVIA REFLECTED ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE UNIQUE CAUSES OF JUVENILE CRIME, THE SPECIAL TREATMENT NEEDS OF JUVENILES, AND THE APPROPRIATENESS OF DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN JUVENILE AND ADULT OFFENDERS. IN THE 1960'S, RESEARCH REVEALED FLAWS IN THE TREATMENT IDEOLOGY ON WHICH THE SCANDINAVIAN APPROACH TO DELINQUENCY HAD BEEN BASED. CONCERN ALSO DEVELOPED OVER INDICATIONS OF THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT AND THE PROBLEM OF CUMULATED SANCTIONS. THE CONCERN CONTINUED IN THE 1970'S, WHEN DEBATE OVER THE GOALS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE PURPOSES OF PUNISHMENT ENTERED THE PICTURE. IN THE 1970'S, THE TREND IN SCANDINAVIA HAS BEEN TOWARD ABOLISHING JUVENILE IMPRISONMENT AS A SEPARATE SANCTION. SEVERAL NEW SANCTIONS--PUNITIVE SUPERVISION (COURT-ORDERED) 'CHECKING IN' WITH THE POLICE, INTENSIVE SUPERVISION BY PROBATION OFFICERS, COMMUNITY SERVICE--HAVE BEEN PROPOSED IN FINLAND, SWEDEN, DENMARK, AND NORWAY. THAT SUCH SANCTIONS ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR ADULTS AS WELL AS YOUTHS REFLECTS A SECOND TREND OF THE 1970'S: THE BELIEF THAT YOUTHS SHOULD NOT BE AFFORDED SPECIAL LEGAL STATUS. THIS TREND MEANS THAT THE YOUNG OFFENDER, LIKE THE ADULT, WILL BE SENTENCED ON THE BASIS OF THE OFFENSE ITSELF AND THE ANTISOCIAL INTENT IT DISPLAYS, RATHER THAN ON THE BASIS OF A SUPPOSED NEED FOR TREATMENT. (LKM)