The Punitive Turn in Welfare State Sweden

This analysis of the Swedish criminal system makes sense of a markedly punitive turn in policy despite the country’s relatively liberal approach. That Sweden, often considered the welfare state par excellence, should show a move toward punitiveness needs an explanation both from the view of criminology and criminal policy. The book explores how the politicization of criminal policy, the questioning of experts, the increasingly emotional orientation of politics, and the proactive policy all contribute to the development toward increased repression in criminal policy. The types of crime that are at the center of the criminal policy debate - drugs, violence, and organized crime - also all contribute to these general trends, and are politically exploited and affected by a growing political populism. The author contends that the crime-reducing effects of the policy must be considered to be very limited while the costs of the increased criminal and coercive legislation are becoming considerable, especially in the form of an increasing number of people in prison. This book is of interest to researchers and instructors focusing on the sociology of punishment as well as policymakers concerned with crime policy and prison development.