Prevention of delinquency and social development in France

Abstract

A look back through history shows that periods known for insecurity and higher crime invariably saw profound economic or social change, such as industrialisation, rapid urbanisation, economic crisis, political transformations and even war. This simple fact is sufficient to demonstrate that, statistically at any rate, crime as a phenomenon is not unrelated to other forms of disorder or difficulty. Whether in the United States and western Europe since the 1970s or in central and eastern Europe more recently, the question of "insecurity" has gone hand in hand with economic, social and political upheaval, becoming a matter of priority for many States and decisionmakers. All seek better strategies to contend with this phenomenon, but as yet, no one seems to have found the "panacea". Responses to crime have varied quite widely from one period to another and from one country to another, ranging from a failure to recognise difficulties and an abdication of responsibility on the part of the public authorities to policies focusing exclusively on punishment, involving large-scale reliance on prison and harsh sentencing. Between these two extremes, there have been attempts to deal with the problem by emphasising social and economic development, equal opportunities and, hence, the reduction of social tensions, and by giving priority to crime prevention, the rehabilitation of off enders and the fight against recidivism. [excerpt]