NCJ Number
139081
Journal
EuroCriminology Volume: 2 Dated: (1988) Pages: 115-127
Date Published
1988
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper presents and discusses youth crime research studies conducted in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
Abstract
Youth crime is defined as the commission of criminal acts by those under 21 years of age. The minimum age limit of criminal responsibility in Norway is 14 years and in the other three countries 15 years. Children below these ages are subject to possible social welfare measures rather than punishment. A distinctive feature of criminological research in the Nordic countries is the high degree of international cooperation fostered by the Scandinavian Research Council for Criminology. Research in all four countries indicates that youth crime primarily involves property offenses. Popular research themes include unemployment as a criminogenic factor, drug use, gangs, and the status of immigrants and other minority groups. Crime prevention, offender treatment, and operation of the criminal justice and social welfare systems have also received their share of research attention. Most studies on crime prevention and control, however, are limited to evaluations of current procedures. Future trends in the control of juvenile crime in the four countries are examined. 37 footnotes