NCJ Number
133933
Date Published
1989
Length
65 pages
Annotation
Criminal statistics from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden were compiled, and crime trends discussed.
Abstract
Though on the rise since the 1960s, the homicide levels in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are still low in an international perspective. Men in Nordic countries face a higher risk than women of being murdered. Furthermore, in about nine out of ten cases the killer is a man. Killers typically come from age groups between 20-40 years old, and the killings occur among family members or close acquaintances. The use of firearms is rare in Scandinavia; usually sharp objects are used. The importance of alcohol is paramount. The overall rate of victimization by violence is approximately the same in al four countries with somewhat higher figures in Finland for the category of less serious violence. There was an increase in the trends for registered rape offenses. Robbery has followed more or less parallel trends in Denmark and Sweden, while the number of reported robberies in Norway almost tripled in Sweden and Denmark than in Norway and Finland. Data from victim surveys reveal only negligible differences in fraud statistics. 7 diagrams, 8 tables, and 72 references