NCJ Number
140401
Date Published
1993
Length
152 pages
Annotation
This book provides an overview of Finland's criminal justice system and compares it with that of the United States.
Abstract
The historical, legal, and social framework of Finland is first discussed, since, as the author notes, the criminal justice system of a country is a reflection of its culture. This is followed by an overview of the general structure of the Finnish criminal justice system. As in the United States, the Finnish criminal justice system has component parts of police, courts, prisons, and community-based corrections. The system is based on principles of legality, equality, predictability, and proportionality. The collection of crime statistics in Finland is reviewed, and tabular statistics are presented for homicide, auto theft, robbery, rape, and burglary for 1980-84 for 30 countries, including the United States and Finland. A chapter on the investigation of crime and the role of the public prosecutor includes a discussion of criminal procedure. Separate chapters address each of the following topics: policing in Finland, courts in Finland, Finland's prisons, community- based corrections (probation, parole, community service, and aftercare), and mediation. The author concludes that there are no striking differences between Finland's criminal justice system and that of the United States, although subtle differences are identified in the analysis. Chapter references, 18 tables, and a subject index