ABSTRACT
The welfare state has been seen as having a role both in the prevention and the production of crime. The first view has its roots in liberal and radical writings of the late nineteenth century. The vision was then clear: with improved universal education, ameliorated housing conditions, and reduced economic inequality, crime would sharply diminish. This tradition of thought has been carried through in the post-war era by, for example, the social democratic parties in Scandinavia.
