U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Emergence of the Crime Victim: Sweden in a Scandinavian Context (From Crime and Justice in Scandinavia, P 555-611, Michael Tonry and Tapio Lappi-Seppala, eds. - See NCJ-242441)

NCJ Number
242451
Author(s)
Henrik Tham; Anita Ronneling; Lise-Lotte Rytterbro
Date Published
2011
Length
57 pages
Annotation
The crime victim has gained great prominence in political and public debates in Sweden.
Abstract
The crime victim has gained great prominence in political and public debates in Sweden. This fact is manifested in extensive legislation, establishment of a new government agency, and emergence of voluntary organizations. It is increasingly viewed as self-evident that the state has a responsibility toward victims of crime. In turn, crime victim discourse affects traditional legal principles such as rationales for punishment, equality before the law, and other legal safeguards. Crime victim policy in Sweden is particularly activist, even in the Scandinavian welfare state context. Examples include rape legislation, early prohibition of the purchase of sexual services, and extensive compensation to crime victims. Explanations include a culture that gives violation of integrity major prominence, attempts to find new tasks for the welfare state, a strong women's movement, and a highly developed politics of sexual equality. (Published Abstract)