NCJ Number
63501
Date Published
1979
Length
112 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT PROVIDES DATA ON THE POPULATIONS OF FINNISH COERCIVE INSTITUTIONS, FOCUSING ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PLACED IN INSTITUTIONS AGAINST THEIR WILL AS AN INDIRECT SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT FINNISH SOCIETY.
Abstract
DATA ARE PROVIDED FOR THE FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONS: REFORM SCHOOLS, WORKHOUSES, MENTAL HOSPITALS, HOMES FOR ALCOHOLICS, AND PRISONS; THE PRISON POPULATION IS USED AS A POINT OF COMPARISON FOR THE POPULATIONS OF THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THE NUMBER OF PRISONERS AT THE END OF 1961 WAS 20,509. AT THE END OF 1965, THE FIGURE WAS 18,968; AT THE END OF 1970, 13,896; AT THE END OF 1975 14,360. A SIMILAR DECLINE IN POPULATION OCCURRED IN COERCIVE INSTITUTIONS. AT THE END OF 1961, THERE WERE 310 PERSONS PLACED IN COERCIVE INSTITUTIONS PER 100,000 IN THE POPULATION OF FINLAND (IN ADDITION TO THE 149 PERSONS PER 100,000 HELD IN PRISON); AT THE END OF 1965, THERE WERE 261 (IN PRISON, 155); AT THE END OF 1970, 196 (IN PRISON, 106); AND AT THE END OF 1975, 183 (IN PRISON, 121). IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE DATA MAY REFLECT CHANGES IN THE SIZE OF PROBLEM GROUPS IN FINNISH SOCIETY, CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICE, OR CHANGES IN ATTITUDES AND IN THE WAY PROBLEMS ARE DEFINED. HOWEVER, CONCLUSIONS CANNOT BE DETERMINED ON THE BASIS OF THE DATA. DATA TABLES ARE PROVIDED.