Look to Norway – A Sobering Challenge to a Success Story

Youth Justice Reforms in Norway: Professional Support for the Panopticon Society?

“…Unfortunately, the success rate has been limited. In Norway, Leonardsen (2012, 2015) came to the same conclusion, after having analysed 70 years of social prevention policy, and quite recently a well-known (Norwegian) psychiatrist has expressed the same perspective by saying that ‘we have approximately as much scientific documentation for different psychiatric methods as there is for homeopathy’ (Mjaaland, 2017). The claimed success of the broad variety of rehabilitative programmes is less evident than some will argue.…”

Inequality and Punitivism in Late Modern Societies: Scandinavian Exceptionalism Revisited

“…Green concludes that the public in these countries are still relatively confident in their institutions and politicians to protect their interests. This is not exactly the same story as that told by Strømsnes, amongst others (for example, Bondeson, 2005;Leonardsen, 2012;Mathiesen, 2012), about citizenship, democracy and participation in Norway. Strømsnes ( 2003) concludes that, as in many other industrialised countries, trust in politicians is approaching a low ebb.…”

“…Despite Pratt and Eriksson"s contention that there has been no sign of "wholesale restructuring of the welfare state" (2012: 255) in Nordic countries, others would argue that these countries have experienced restructuring of their welfare systems, reduced levels of security amongst their citizens and a greater intolerance of and punitivism towards others (Bondeson, 2005;Leonardsen, 2012;Mathiesen, 2012;NOU, 2002). For example, in terms of increased punitivism, the Ministry of Justice"s White Paper on Crime in 2008 stated that: "Safety for society is a superior aim for criminal justice policy…..…”