Swedish juvenile justice and welfare

Abstract

Swedish life, in general, and social welfare, in particular, are continually of interest to United States observers. This article describes juvenile justice and welfare in Sweden, especially as it relates to the idea of diverting juveniles from the official sanctioning process. The article includes a summary of child welfare board legislation and its current administrative structure, a description of the disposition process and its main actors and decision points — police, prosecutor, child welfare board and workers, community programs, training schools, and prisons - and suggestions for further research.