Recent Developments in Crime Prevention and Safety Policies in Finland

Abstract

Finland's National Council for Crime Prevention (NCCP) was established in 1989. A national crime prevention program was adopted by the government in 1999. The program follows the "Nordic model" and includes a national coordinating and steering body that provides funding and advice to local crime prevention committees and projects. The Nordic model of crime prevention involves a strong affiliation to areas outside the justice system and strikes a balance between social and situational crime prevention. A member since 2001 of the European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN), the NCCP selects projects to be presented at the EUCPN's annual Good Practice Conferences as well as competing for the annual European Crime Prevention Awards. The overt politicization of crime policy issues may cause some rethinking. The Nordic model may need to be complemented by other approaches, such as early intervention, other methods of social crime prevention, and a growing emphasis on creating networks, cooperation, and partnerships with many different actors with a stake in preventing crime.