NCJ Number
67818
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
TRENDS IN CRIME AND CORRECTIONS IN DENMARK IN THE 1970'S ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IN 1960, DENMARK REPORTED 125,000 CRIMES IN A POPULATION OF ABOUT 5.2 MILLION. THIS INCREASED TO ABOUT 307,000 OFFENSES IN 1977, WITH MOST OF THE INCREASE ATTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH IN PROPERTY CRIMES. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, CHANGES IN THE CRIMINAL CODE HAVE OCCURRED IN THE AREAS OF THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF PORNOGRAPHY, CERTAIN HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR, AND ABORTION UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. A MAJOR REVOLUTION IN CORRECTIONAL POLICY CAN BE SEEN IN A COMMITMENT TO DEPENALIZATION, PARTICULARLY FOR MINOR PROPERTY CRIMES (UNDER $200 WHERE DOMICILE INTRUSION AND VIOLENCE ARE NOT INVOLVED). PARALLELING THIS TREND IS AN EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY-BASED, NONINSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS. THIS HAS LED TO THE REDUCTION OF THE AVERAGE DAILY NUMBER OF INMATES FROM 3,458 IN 1970 TO 2,953 IN 1978. THE DANISH PRISON SYSTEM HAS 15 PRISONS AND ABOUT 40 LOCAL JAILS. ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL PRISON POPULATION IS IN OPEN PRISONS AND TWO-THIRDS IN CLOSED (WALLED) ESTABLISHMENTS. FURLOUGHS, GENERALLY FOR REHABILITATION PURPOSES, HAVE INCREASED IN THE 1970'S FOR PRISON INMATES IN OPEN INSTITUTIONS. A RECENTLY BUILT PRISON HOUSING 100 YOUNG ADULTS ALLOWS MALE AND FEMALES IN THE SAME LIVING UNITS WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS ON SEXUAL CONTACT. INMATES ARE EXPECTED TO DO THEIR OWN COOKING AND LAUNDRY. WHILE IT IS TOO EARLY TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE EXPERIMENT, NO OBVIOUS NEGATIVE IMPACTS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED. REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, BOTH IN PRISON AND UPON PROBATION, ARE VOLUNTARY, A POLICY BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT REHABILITATION SERVICES ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN NOT YOKED TO SENTENCE CONDITIONS.