Social defense is seen as the main aim of the criminal justice system. This goal is achieved through general deterrence and resocialization of the offender. Limited recidivism statistics indicate a 34.3 percent reconviction rate within a 3-year period. The Norwegian system is characterized by broad police and prosecutorial discretionary powers, centralized bureaucracy, and a comprehensive network of institutions. Social, psychiatric, and psychological therapies play a large role in inmate programs, indicating the emphasis on rehabilitation. Treatment of juvenile offenders remains a major problem in Norway. With the abolition of juvenile imprisonment, the disposition of cases involving persistent young recidivists has become more difficult. As in other Nordic nations, Norway's penal reform movement has been an influential factor in developing correctional policy. Statistics indicate that 90 percent of all criminal cases receive a prison sentence in Norway. The average daily prison population in 1977 was 18,000, and the average conditional prison sentence is 5-and-a-half months, excluding sentences imposed for drunk drivers. Appendixes and a bibliography are provided in the report; the text is presented in English and French. (Author summary modified)