Source: (2007) British Journal of Criminology. 47:2-22.
We present, within a comparative context, data from the first Russian research on attitudes to
youth crime and sentencing. In Russia, the harsh treatment of young offenders, which existed in
the Soviet period, has softened, but welfare-oriented juvenile justice still awaits legislative
approval. We assess whether the Russian public would support such a reform agenda. Comparing
the Russian data with research, conducted in England and Wales and other countries in which a
more punitive response has been adopted in recent years, we find unexpected similarities, and contrasting
attitudes, and a strong welfare orientation among the Russian public. We seek explanations,
and suggest factors influencing attitudes towards young offenders that future comparative
research should take into account.(author’s abstract)
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