Week #8 - Balvig - Public Sense of Justice in Scandinavia

Question 1

What is the abstract of Balvig article?

Answer 1

o A research project has been conducted in all five Scandinavian countries in order to examine the public’s views on punishment.
o Question: do the Scandinavians really demand harsher penalties than are now awarded by courts

Question 2

What is the background of the Balvig article?

Answer 2

o Study proceeds from the idea that feelings and attitudes towards social phenomena vary with the degree of knowledge about, and proximity to, the phenomenon in question
o With more knowledge and a greater degree of proximity, reactions increasingly assume the characteristics of more complex decisions

Question 3

What is the discussion of the Balvig article?

Answer 3

o By introducing more info and more proximity, the public becomes less punitive
o Society’s reaction to serious crimes should be a manifestation of justice, should help the crime victim, should prevent the offender from reoffending
o Through step-by-step introduction of more info, the public was shown to gradually realize the complex nature of crime and the advantages and disadvantages of different sanctions

Question 4

What are the main results of the Balvig article?

Answer 4

o Residents recommend sanctions that in terms of severity are ate the same level or below that of judges
o The public favours the welfare state goal of rehab of the offender and sees caring for the victim through economic compensation as a central goal in crime policy
o Therefore harsher prison sanctions can’t be justified based on public demand