NCJ Number
43913
Date Published
1974
Length
22 pages
Annotation
A SURVEY OF CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH, AS WELL AS POLICYMAKING, IN THE FIELD OF CRIME CONTROL IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN DENMARK, SWEDEN, NORWAY, AND FINLAND ARE SUMMARIZED. SOME TYPICAL TRENDS IN SCANDINAVIAN CRIMINOLOGY ARE REVEALED: RESEARCH IS VERY OFTEN DIRECTED TOWARDS THE BEHAVIOR OF AUTHORITIES RATHER THAN TOWARDS BEHAVIOR OF THE OFFENDERS; THE UTILITY VALUE OF THE RESEARCH IS EMPHASIZED; AND THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUE CONSCIOUSNESS IS EXPLICITLY STRESSED. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CRIMINAL POLICY FIELD ARE TRACED FROM THE LEGISLATORS' INTEREST IN THE SANCTION SYSTEM DURING THE EARLY AND LATE 1960'S (E.G., HOW TO CREATE BETTER PRISON AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS, HOW TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE NONINSTITUTIONAL SANCTIONS) TO THE GENERAL PROBLEM OF CRIMINALIZATION. POLICYMAKERS IN THE 1970'S NOW ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF WHICH ACTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL AND WHY. IT IS NOTED THAT THE DECRIMINALIZATION TREND IS BALANCED BY A TENDENCY TO ADD NEW OFFENSES TO THE CRIME CATALOGUES. SOME NEW ADDITIONS REFER TO RACE DISCRIMINATION, TERRORISM, HIJACKING, RIGHTS TO PRIVACY, OR CRIMES AGAINST ECOLOGY. -- IN ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN.