Realigning criminal policy. Offender and victim in the Swedish party system over time

Good versus bad? Victims, offenders and victim-offenders in Swedish crime policy

“…The crime victim is also given a very prominent role in the field of legal policy (Persson, 2006). In crime policy, the crime victim may serve as a rhetorical tool used by political parties as a means of advancing various party interests (Demker and Duus-Otterström, 2009).…”

“…Along with the crime victim, the offender occupies a central position in the crime policy rhetoric. There is a cross-party consensus among politicians that the offender should face increasingly severe punishment because society must be protected from dangerous individuals (Demker and Duus-Otterström, 2009). Security, organized crime and proactive punishment are central themes in the debate (Tham, 2012).…”

“…2 The increasing punitiveness and the growing prison population witnessed in Sweden were affected by, among other things, Sweden's entry into the European Union, periods of centre-right government, and welfare cuts that, in turn, constitute a manifestation of a new direction in politics (Pratt, 2008). Demker and Duus-Otterström (2009) argue that the move towards greater punitiveness in the Swedish justice system was mainly the result of a trend towards a more individualistic society, which is also visible across the rest of the western world. The dismantling of the welfare state, together with the neoliberal shift in society at large, has led to a strong identification with the crime victim and to the exclusion of the offender (Tham et al, 2011).…”

Simultaneous prediction of punitive and rehabilitation-oriented attitudes towards probation

“…This development is described by several authors as the "punitive turn". As is described for example by Demker and Duus-Otterström (2008), political parties in several European countries have politicized criminal policy and call for policies that are tough on crime. Garland (1996Garland ( , 2000Garland ( , 2001) argues that we have witnessed the abandonment of the model of penal welfarism, i.e.…”

The Emergence of Crime Victims as a Target Group in the Swedish Social Services Act

“…Recent studies have also argued that the crime victim discourse was a result of a trend increasingly emphasizing individualism and personal responsibility. According to Demker and Duus-Otterströ m (2008), the loss of a collectivist conception of society fed into a situation where crime has become a question of safeguarding the rights and interests of individuals. The discourse on crime victims in Sweden has also generated consensus: all political parties seem to be calling for increased support for crime victims (Tham 2001b).…”