LESSONS FROM THE SWEDISH CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM - A REAPPRAISAL

• NCJ Number: 51829
• Author(s): R SALOMON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Administrative Office of the United States Courts
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM FEDERAL PROBATION, V 40, N 3 (SEPTEMBER 1976)

Annotation

THE CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS IN SWEDEN SINCE THE EARLY 1970'S IS DISCUSSED, PARTICULARLY AS A RESULT OF THE ACT ON CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT IN INSTITUTIONS (1974).

Abstract

IT IS NOTED THAT THE PRISON POPULATION IN SWEDEN IS 61.4 PER 100,000 COMPARED TO 200 PER 100,000 IN THE UNITED STATES; IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS DUE TO THE EMPHASIS ON DECREASED IMPRISONMENT AND SHORTER SENTENCES IN SWEDEN. THE GENERALLY HUMANE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS IN SWEDEN IS ROOTED IN THE CONDITIONED EGALITARIAN ATTITUDE IN THE POPULACE WHICH VIEWS OFFENDERS AS CITIZENS WITH PROBLEMS OF SOCIALIZATION, RATHER THAN AS ENEMIES OF SOCIETY DESERVING BANISHMENT AND PUNISHMENT. THE MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTIES ARE SAID TO BE UNIFIED IN THEIR ATTENTION TO HUMANE CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES. A SIGNIFICANT ENTERPRISE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS NOTED TO BE THE CREATION OF LOCAL PRISON-UNION COUNCILS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THESE COUNCILS--CONSISTING OF THE PRISON GOVERNOR, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LINE STAFF, INMATES, OFFICIALS OF THE LABOR MARKET ADMINISTRATION, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYERS, AND TRADE UNIONISTS--DEAL WITH A WIDE RANGE OF CONCERNS HAVING TO DO WITH PRISONER AND EX-OFFENDER EMPLOYMENT. SINCE 1974, THE PRISON STRUCTURE HAS DEVELOPED UNDER A REGIONALIZED PLAN, WITH EACH CORRECTIONAL REGION CORRESPONDING GEOGRAPHICALLY WITH ONE OR TWO COUNTIES. EACH REGION HAS AT LEAST ONE REMAND PRISON, A NUMBER OF LOCAL INSTITUTIONS, AND NONINSTITUTIONAL CARE (PROBATION) DISTRICTS. THIS RESTRUCTURING IS BASED IN THE PHILOSOPHICAL THRUST OF KEEPING OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY LIVE TO FACILITATE INVOLVEMENT IN EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIALIZATION. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EDUCATION, FURLOUGHS, AND VISITATION RIGHTS ARE EMPHASIZED IN A MODEL OF RESOCIALIZATION SET FOR CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS. INMATE COUNCILS, WITH PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OVER LEISURE-TIME ACTIVITIES, ARE ALSO PREVALENT. PROBATION, BUREAUCRATIC CENTRALIZATION, EXCESSIVE IMPRISONMENT OF PRETRIAL DETAINEES, AND POORLY DEVELOPED RESEARCH EVALUATION ARE DISCUSSED AS SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES OF THE SWEDISH CORRECTIONS SYSTEM. (RCB)