Danish Ministry of Justice

Research QuestionDoes enrollment of a burglarized household in a chemical property marking program reduce the risk of repeat burglary of the household?DataThis randomized controlled trial utilizes a sample of 12,000 previously burgled households in North Zealand, Denmark, randomly divided into treatment, placebo, and control groups.MethodsTreatment households received a letter describing local burglary problems and were offered a free chemical property marking kit including warning stickers to deter would-be burglars. Placebo households received a letter outlining generic methods of burglary prevention but were not offered a property marking kit. Control households were not contacted.ResultsA process evaluation shows that only 29% of the 4000-household treatment group both registered for the experiment and posted warning stickers as instructed. An intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis conducted after 15½ months indicated no statistically significant (p < .05) differences in follow-up prevalence rates of burglary experienced by treatment (4.6%), placebo (5.1%), and control (4.9%) households.ConclusionThe current experiment fails to find clear evidence that the posting of warning stickers indicating a once-burglarized household’s use of chemical property marking deters domestic burglary. Nonetheless, it remains possible to demonstrate an effect if a larger proportion of the experimental group could be persuaded to post warning stickers as instructed.

This study investigates the effect of being an outlaw biker on criminal involvement in Denmark. Using a unique dataset, 297 outlaw bikers are matched on various background characteristics with 181,931 control individuals and effects are estimated in difference-in-difference regressions. This approach reduces the risk of selection bias and helps isolate the effect of affiliation on criminal involvement. The results suggest that affiliation with an outlaw motorcycle club may increase involvement in overall crime, specifically property crime, drug crime, and weapons crime. Results regarding violent crimes are inconclusive. It is concluded that an outlaw biker affiliation may increase criminal involvement.

Objective This study compares reconviction rates for Danish offenders sentenced to community service and imprisonment. A large general sample of offenders (n = 1602) is examined.

The present study investigates the prevalence of emotional difficulties and quality of life in a sample of 834 children from 56 seventh grade (aged 12-14 years) classes. Data was derived from a study of mental well-being developed by the National Council for Children, Denmark. The sample selection ensured that the children were nationally representative. Data was collected using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC). Results indicated that 10.8% of children had concerns regarding emotional difficulties (6.6% definite concern; 4.2% some concern), and that significantly more girls than boys (44 girls and 10 boys) reported this concern. A novel finding was that emotional difficulties were related to children's perception of having low quality of life. Findings furthermore suggested that children's perception of a low home economy, less time spent on leisure activities, and female gender were all associated with emotional difficulties.

within the criminological context, incapacitation refers to any number of constraints that (typically physically) limit an individual's ability to commit crime. Such constraints include those as minor as probation and as major as capital punishment. In the current study, incapacitation will be narrowly defined as the effect of actual incarceration. Physical seclusion from the surrounding world prevents the inmate from committing offenses against the general public.

"This book provides a remarkably broad assessment of the full spectrum of criminal career patterns applied across a wider cross section of population than was ever previously analyzed. The data, unparalleled in size and quality, allows powerful analyses of criminal behavior, even among relatively small demographic subgroups. Kyvsgaard is thus able to make solid assessments of offending patterns for males and females, juveniles and middle-aged adults, and employed and unemployed individuals. Furthermore, she examines the empirical evidence of the effects of deterrence and incapacitation. Her findings suggest rehabilitation as an alternative worthy of further research."--BOOK JACKET.

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