Correctional Statistics of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden 2004 - 2008

Abstract

The correctional services of the Nordic countries have been publishing comparative statistics of their correctional services since the eighties. An English version has long been wanted, reaching a broader public than the Nordic countries. Exact statistical comparability is difficult to attain given that law, practice and methods of data compilation vary between the Nordic countries. Even though present and former members of the Nordic group of statisticians have tried to establish a high level of comparability by carefully working out common definitions over the years, any differences between the countries shown in this report still need to be interpreted with caution. The reader is therefore requested to note carefully the definitions and the footnotes to the tables.