Collective interests prevailed over individual interests in the definition of deviance during socialism. The institutionalized response to deviance was under direct political control. The former belief in collective values has not been replaced by individualistic values, and the difficult social and economic situation has increased the amount of deviance. In addition, the illusion that deviance will disappear under socialism has been replaced by the illusion that the market will automatically restore a stable society. The response among the public and politicians has been a call for more consistent, effective, and punitive control. Nevertheless, Hungarian criminal law so far has resisted these calls by relying on the traditional principles of justice and human rights. The scope of criminal law as well as the severity of sentences have in fact decreased, and the importance of a complex and coordinated system of crime prevention is receiving increasing attention. 10 references