CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN DENMARK

• NCJ Number: 65331
• Author(s): M S UMBREIT
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 28 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities; Indiana Cmtte for the Humanities
• Corporate Author: PACT (Prisoner and Community Together, Inc)
• Sale Source: PACT (Prisoner and Community Together, Inc)
• Publication Type: Survey (Cross-Cultural)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THERE IS A DISCOUNT FOR ORDERS OF 10 OR MORE COPIES.

Annotation

DENMARK, INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED FOR ITS PROGRESSIVE PENAL SYSTEM AND EXEMPLARY PRISON CONDITIONS, IS COMPARED WITH THE UNITED STATES ON THE BASIS OF CRIME RATES, PENAL REFORM, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, AND SENTENCING.

Abstract

DESPITE ITS HEAVY USE OF COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON, OPEN PRISONS PERMITTING UNCONTROLLED CONJUGAL VISITING AND INMATE FURLOUGHS AND MORE, STINGY USE OF INCARCERATION, AND DECRIMINALIZATION OF PORNOGRAPHY, CRIME IS NOT RAMPANT IN DENMARK. DATA REVEAL THAT, WHILE DENMARK HAS A COMPARABLE AMOUNT OF CRIME WHEN COMPARED WITH THE U.S., ONLY A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THIS CRIME IS VIOLENT. DANISH OFFENDERS, IF CONVICTED, USUALLY AWAIT A SENTENCE CONSISTING OF FINES, HALFWAY HOUSE PROGRAMS, PROBATION OR PAROLE, WITH ONLY A RELATIVELY SMALL SEGMENT BEING SENT TO PRISON. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WAS LAST USED IN 1891, OFFENDERS WHO ARE SENTENCED TO PRISON WILL BE TOLD THE EXACT TIME OF THEIR PAROLE, WILL USUALLY BE GIVEN A SENTENCE OF LESS THAN 1 YEAR (81 PERCENT), AND CAN EXPECT TO BE INCARCERATED IN A FACILITY WITH A RELATIVELY FREE ATMOSPHERE AND WITH EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE UNITED STATES, ON THE OTHER HAND, WITH ITS HIGHER VIOLENT CRIME RATE AND GREATER EMPHASIS ON INCARCERATION, HAS A VARYING VIEW OF THE PURPOSE OF PRISONS. THEY ARE USED FOR BOTH PUNISHMENT AND TREATMENT; RESTRICTION OF NOT ONLY FREEDOM BUT ALSO OF CONDITIONS OF LIBERTY IS THE RULE, INCLUDING EXTREMELY LIMITED CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE COMMUNITY, TOTAL ABSTINENCE OF NORMAL SEXUALITY, VERY RESTRICTIVE FURLOUGH POLICIES, AND MEAGER LIVING CONDITIONS. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS STILL USED (450 INMATES AWAIT DEATH). THE DANISH SYSTEM HAS ONE INCONSISTENCY, HOWEVER. DESPITE ITS LIBERAL APPROACH TO THE CONVICTED OFFENDER, THE PRETRIAL DETAINEE IS KEPT IN ISOLATION, FOR UP TO 1 MONTH, WITH EXTENSIONS MADE LARGELY AT THE DISCRETION OF POLICE. FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE DANISH PRISON SYSTEM IS RELATED IN STUDIES OF RINGE, AN INNOVATIVE EXPERIMENT IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTION, AND OF THE NYBORG CLOSED PRISON.