NCJ Number
57857
Date Published
1979
Length
97 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS ON SWISS CRIMINAL SENTENCES FOR 1977 AND TRENDS FOR THE PERIOD 1974 TO 1977 ARE ANALYZED.
Abstract
STATISTICS INDICATE THAT THE ANNUAL NUMBER OF CONVICTIONS FOR THE PERIOD 1974 TO 1977 REMAINED AROUND 50,000 PER YEAR, THAT JUVENILE CONVICTIONS SANK ABOUT 10 PERCENT OVERALL DESPITE A LARGER PROPORTION OF JUVENILES IN THE TOTAL POPULATION, AND THAT ADULT CONVICTIONS REMAINED ALMOST CONSTANT, WITH A SLIGHT DECREASE IN MILITARY CONVICTIONS. CONVICTIONS OF WOMEN (10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL) STAYED FAIRLY STEADY, WHILE THE NUMBER OF CONVICTED FOREIGNERS DECREASED, IN PART BECAUSE OF A REDUCTION IN THE FOREIGN POPULATION. THE DISTRIBUTION OF SENTENCES REMAINED STABLE (AROUND 59 PERCENT, PRISON OR JAIL; AROUND 40 PERCENT, FINES). THE ONLY NOTABLE CHANGE IN SENTENCE TYPES WAS A RISE IN INCARCERATION FOR DRUG OFFENSES. CRIME RATES WERE HIGHEST IN THE 18-TO-24-YEAR-OLD GROUP FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. CONVICTIONS DECREASED FOR 18-TO-24-YEAR-OLD MALES, BUT INCREASED FOR 25-TO-29-YEAR-OLD WOMEN. WHILE CONVICTIONS OF FOREIGNERS DECREASED, FOREIGNERS WERE STILL CONVICTED TWICE AS OFTEN AS NATIVES. CONVICTED FOREIGNERS RECEIVED PRISON SENTENCES MORE FREQUENTLY THAN SWISS CITIZENS. PROPERTY CRIMES WERE THE MOST COMMON OFFENSES, WITH ALMOST 90 PERCENT OF JUVENILE CONVICTIONS IN THIS CATEGORY. CONVICTIONS OF MEN FOR PROPERTY CRIMES JUMPED BY 10 PERCENT IN 1975 AND STABILIZED AT THAT LEVEL. PHYSICAL INJURY CONVICTIONS, RARE FOR JUVENILES, ROSE SLIGHTLY FOR ADULTS IN 1975, THEN DROPPED. WOMEN WERE RARELY AFFECTED BY MORALS CONVICTIONS, WHICH FELL SLIGHTLY OVER THE PERIOD. OTHER CONVICTIONS, SUCH AS NONSUPPORT, INCREASED SOMEWHAT. IMPRISONMENT WAS THE SENTENCE IMPOSED IN THREE-QUARTERS OF THE CASES, WITH CONDITIONAL SENTENCES FOR 67 PERCENT OF THE MEN AND 90 PERCENT OF THE WOMEN. ON THE WHOLE, DESPITE AN OSTENSIBLE SURGE IN CRIME, CONVICTIONS NEITHER ROSE NOR FELL SIGNIFICANTLY. EXTENSIVE TABLES SHOW LONG-TERM CONVICTION TRENDS, AS WELL AS 1979 CONVICTION STATISTICS FOR YOUNG ADULTS, ADULTS, AND JUVENILES ACCORDING TO THE CODES INVOLVED, CONSIDERING SUCH FACTORS AS PLACE OF RESIDENCE, SEX, AND NATIONALITY. --IN GERMAN AND FRENCH.