NCJ Number
53249
Date Published
1976
Length
82 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS ON CRIMINAL SENTENCES IN SWITZERLAND FOR 1976 ARE REPORTED BY THE SWISS CENTRAL CRIMINAL REGISTRY OF THE FEDERAL STATISTICS BUREAU TO AID POLITICIANS, RESEARCHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS.
Abstract
STATISTICS FOR CONVICTIONS OF ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS (15 TO 18 YEARS OLD) FOR MILITARY AND CIVIL CRIMES WITH PENALTIES OF IMPRISONMENT OR FINES OF OVER 200 FRANCS ARE INCLUDED; MOST MINOR JUVENILE OFFENSES ARE EXCLUDED. A GENERAL REDUCTION SINCE 1975 IN CONVICTIONS, ESPECIALLY OF FOREIGNERS, IS EVIDENT. DISTRIBUTION OF CONVICTIONS ACCORDING TO LAWS (WITH TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE), SEX (ONE-FIFTH OF VIOLATORS ARE FEMALE), AND AGE (MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF CRIMINALS ARE UNDER 30) HAS REMAINED CONSTANT; THREE OF FIVE PENALTIES INVOLVE IMPRISONMENT, ALSO A CONSTANT FACTOR. A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN (67 PERCENT) THAN MEN (36 PERCENT) ARE PROSECUTED UNDER THE PENAL CODE. WIDE VARIATION BETWEEN CANTONS IN APPLICATION OF IMPRISONMENT VERSUS FINES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO DIFFERENCES IN STRUCTURE REGARDING OFFENSES. BOTH THE PERCENTAGE OF MILDER AND OF STRICTER SENTENCES THAN OFFICIALLY PRESCRIBED BY LAW HAS INCREASED (BY 1 PERCENT AND 6 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY) IN THE 1-YEAR PERIOD. A TENDENCY TOWARD REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF SHORT PRISON SETNENCES CAN BE OBSERVED. FOUR TABLES ARE SUPPLIED IN THE TEXT, AND AN EXTENSIVE SERIES OF APPENDED TABLES SHOW MAJOR CRIME TYPES OF YOUNG ADULTS AND ADULTS ACCORDING TO LAWS AND OVERALL CRIME FIGURES (ABSOLUTE NUMBERS, CONVICTIONS, SELECTED CRIMES, ALL CRIMES), AND CONVICTIONS OF ADOLESCENTS UNDER ALL FEDERAL LAWS AND THE PENAL CODE. --IN GERMAN AND FRENCH. (KMD)