Change in regime, social change and incarceration rates in Hungary

Abstract

This research examines incarceration data from the Hungarian Ministry of Justice for the years 1988 to 1992. This time period allows an analysis of incarceration rates before, during, and after the change in political regimes in the Spring of 1990. The data indicate a substantial overall decrease in incarceration rates independent of changes in crime rates. Several explanations for this trend are suggested.