NCJ Number
37569
Date Published
1976
Length
156 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION OF THE BASIC FEATURES OF THE SWEDISH CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INCLUDING POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS, FOCUSING ON THE UNIQUE INNOVATIONS, ORGANIZATION, AND FLEXIBILITY THAT HAVE EARNED A WORLDWIDE REPUTATION.
Abstract
THE APPLICATION OF THE SWEDISH NATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF DEBUREAUCRATIZATION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CLOSELY EXAMINED IN THIS VOLUME FOR ITS POTENTIAL ADAPTABILITY TO THE AMERICAN STATE SYSTEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SWEDISH NATIONAL CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION WAS SHOWN THAT PRISONS CAN BE DESIRABLY LOCAL AND AUTONOMOUS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME FUSING INTO A NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATION. FURTHER, THIS CENTRALIZED BUREAU HAS SHOWN THAT A DECENTRALIZED SMALL PRISON WITH A POPULATION OF TWENTY CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A LARGE PRISON BASED ON MASS PRODUCTION PROCESSES. THE 1965 CONVERSION OF LOCAL SWEDISH POLICE UNITS INTO WHAT AMOUNTS TO A NATIONAL DEPARTMENT SIMILARLY AVOIDED RIGID BUREAUCRATIZATION DESPITE INCREASED BIGNESS, URBANIZATION AND INDUSTRIALIZATION. THIS VOLUME ALSO INCLUDES A PRESENTATION OF THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF SWEDISH SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT AS BACKGROUND DATA THAT HAVE AN INPUT ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)