Criminal policy since the 1960s

Chapter 3 will give a brief overview of the development of criminal policy since the 1960s, also serving as a background to forthcoming analyses. The description will follow the type of government, Social democratic/Green and centre-right. The description shows how criminal law is becoming an increasingly important tool in crime prevention. The centre-right parties are moving further towards law and order, while the Social Democrats are following suit. The chapter ends with an overview of the development of penal legislation that also becomes a summary of the changes in criminal policy since the mid-1960s in Sweden. The overview shows how decriminalizations and reductions in penalties are virtually coming to a halt, while the expansion of criminal legislation is unique in modern times.