NCJ Number
54119
Journal
BRA (BROTTSFOREBYGGANDE RADET) - APROPA Issue: 3 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (1978) Pages: 5-10
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS DESCRIPTION OF SWEDEN'S JUVENILE CRIME IS BASED ON OFFICIAL STATISTICS AS OF 1976, APPLIES TO THAT CRIME REPORTED TO POLICE, AND PERTAINS TO ONLY THOSE OFFENSES COMMITTED BY JUVENILES ABOVE 15 YEARS OF AGE.
Abstract
A TOTAL OF 23,789 JUVENILES WERE ADJUDICATED IN 1976, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THESE RECEIVING FINES AS PUNISHMENT, SOME BEING COMMITTED TO THE CARE OF THE YOUTH AUTHORITY, A GREATER AMOUNT BEING PUT ON PROBATION, AND A SMALL PERCENTAGE BEING SENT TO PRISON OR TO A MENTAL INSTITUTION. THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT NOT ONLY HAS THE RATE OF JUVENILE CRIME STEADILY INCREASED SINCE 1977, BUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF CRIME THAT JUVENILES COMMIT HAS RISEN. A CRIME RATE DROP OCCURRED, HOWEVER, FROM 1974 TO 1976, THE CAUSE OF WHICH IS NOT YET KNOWN. A CHANGE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM PROCESS COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME CHANGE IN STATISTICS. JUVENILES ACCOUNT FOR A MAJOR PORTION OF DRUG ABUSE OFFENSES, VANDALISM, AND BURGLARY. STATISTICS ALSO SHOW A TENDENCY FOR JUVENILES TO RECIDIVATE (60 PERCENT FOR 15-YEARS-OLDS, 57 PERCENT FOR 16-YEAR-OLDS, AND 56 PERCENT FOR 17-YEAR-OLDS). TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. --IN SWEDISH. (DAG)