NCJ Number
190093
Date Published
September 1999
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This paper examined criminal justice and corrections in Finland.
Abstract
From the end of the 19th century to the early 1960's, Finland's criminal justice system was very punitive, repressive, and hard compared to other Nordic countries. Prison rules were detailed, prisoners' rights were very limited, and preventive detention was used excessively. Strong criticism and discussion of the criminal justice system started in the 1960's and prison reform legislation appeared in the mid-1970's. The article discussed the history of inmate labor in Finnish corrections and its application in current Finnish corrections and aftercare provisions. One of the basic ideas in contemporary Finnish corrections is the development of offense- and behavior-based programs for offenders who have serious recidivism problems. The article discussed what constitutes successful prisoner rehabilitation, and assessed criteria for the rehabilitation and treatment of offenders. Components of successful treatment programs include matching the cognitive styles of offenders and staff members; teaching social skills, self-control, and stress management; and taking into consideration the mechanism of everyday family life. References