Party politics in a welfare state

Ultimately, changes in criminal policy have to be expressed in parliamentary motions and government bills. Party politics, therefore, plays an important role. The criminal policy of the different parties has changed markedly during half a century. The Liberal party, which was formerly radical in criminal policy, has switched sides, and the Social Democrats have strongly approached the politics of the Moderates, which has moved in a more punitive direction. In the changed criminal policy, the Social Democrats are of particular interest for the analysis. From advocating a criminal policy clearly anchored in a welfare state perspective with an emphasis on social determinism and the offender’s need for care, to emphasizing concern for the victim and the public, regarding crime as an attack on the community and justifying interventions by legislation and the judiciary as positive human rights.