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LONG-TERM PRISONERS

NCJ Number
50262
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1975
Length
8 pages
Annotation
HISTORICAL CHANGES IN ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME AND PUNISHMENT THAT HAVE EVOLVED IN CERTAIN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
A GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE IN FRANCE HAS PROPOSED TO REPLACE THE DEATH PENALTY BY LEGAL PROVISIONS THAT WILL LEAD TO INCREASED EMPHASIS ON LONG-TERM DETENTION. THE TREND TO REPLACE THE DEATH PENALTY BY LIFE IMPRISONMENT BEGAN IN PORTUGAL IN 1868 AND HAS CONTINUED IN EUROPE TO THE PRESENT, SO THAT AT THE TIME OF THE WRITING ONLY FRANCE, SPAIN, AND GREECE STILL PRACTICE THE DEATH PENALTY. INCREASED RELIANCE IS BEING PLACED BY MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ON OTHER MEANS OF ENFORCING SOCIAL NORMS AND VALUES, AND THIS RELIANCE HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY GENERAL REVISION AND RELAXATION OF TRADITIONAL NORMS AND VALUES. PRISON SENTENCES ARE GENERALLY SHORTER, OTHER SANCTIONS ARE BEING CONSIDERED AND APPLIED, PENAL CODES ARE BEING REVISED, AND THE PROCESS OF DECRIMINALIZATION IS BECOMING UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED. COUNTRIES ELIMINATING THE DEATH PENALTY APPEAR TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL STAGES: DE FACTO ABOLITION AND/OR DECREASED NUMBER OF DEATH SENTENCES AND EXECUTIONS; RECOURSE TO VERY LONG SENTENCES, EITHER INDETERMINATE OR FOR EXTREMELY LONG PERIODS; INCREASING DOUBT AS TO THE JUSTIFICATION OF PERPETUAL SENTENCES; AND RECOURSE TO SHORTER SENTENCES. THE PARTICULARLY LENIENT JUDICIAL PRACTICES OF DENMARK ARE CONTRASTED WITH THOSE OF SWEDEN AND THE COUNTRIES OF SOUTHERN EUROPE. ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN THE TREND TOWARD MORE LENIENT ATTITUDES ARE CHANGES IN PUBLIC OPINION, THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIME POLICY IN RELATION TO GENERAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIMINALS, CHANGES IN SOCIAL PATTERNS, AND THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE. DEVELOPMENTS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES APPEAR TO BE LEANING TOWARD A SITUATION WHERE PRISONS WILL PLAY A LESS IMPORTANT ROLE FOR MOST CRIMES, WHERE THE PRACTICE OF DIVERSION WILL BE INCREASINGLY APPLIED, AND WHERE MOST PRISONERS WILL BE HANDLED IN CONTEXTS OTHER THAN PRISONS. (DEP)