FINLAND - A COUNTRY WITH NO TERRORISM OR SKYJACKING (FROM TERRORISM AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE - AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, 1978 BY RONALD D CRELINSTEN ET AL - SEE NCJ - 47357)

• NCJ Number: 47360
• Author(s): I ANTTILA
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS WORKING AGAINST ACTS OF TERRORISM IN FINLAND IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

FINLAND IS ONE OF THE FEW COUNTRIES WHICH HAS NOT HAD ANY TERRORIST ATTACKS. ITS GEOPOLITICAL ISOLATED POSITION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE IS VERY LITTLE INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC. THERE ARE HARDLY ANY MIGRANT WORKERS IN FINLAND, WHICH DRASTICALLY REDUCES THE NUMBER OF ALIENS IN THE COUNTRY. FINNISH IS THE MAJOR LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE COUNTRY, AND VERY FEW PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF FINLAND SPEAK IT. FINLAND HAS NO POLITICAL PRISONERS, AND THERE IS NO RACIAL CONFLICT WITHIN THE COUNTRY. FINLAND HAS LITTLE POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD. ALL OF THESE FACTORS HELP FINLAND REMAIN FREE OF TERRORIST ATTACKS. SOME GENERAL CRIME CONTROL PRINCIPLES ARE USED IN FINLAND -- CHANGING THE DEFINITION OF OFFENSES, AFFECTING THE MOTIVATION OF OFFENDERS OR POTENTIAL OFFENDERS, AND DECREASING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIME. THE MOTIVATION OF TERRORISTS IS RARELY AFFECTED AS TERRORISTS ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE THREAT OF PUNISHMENT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MEASURES WHICH HAVE A GENERAL DETERRENT EFFECT ON POTENTIAL TERRORIST ATTACKS. A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE INCIDENCE OF TERRORISM IS THE MASS-MEDIA COVERAGE RECEIVED BY MANY OF THE ATTACKS. THE REDUCTION OF THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIME HAS BEEN THE MOST RAPIDLY INCREASING ASPECT OF TERRORISM CONTROL. PREVENTIVE MEASURES HAVE BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE, BUT SOMETIMES THERE IS OVERPREVENTION, WHICH CAN HARM INNOCENT PARTIES. (BAC)