Photo: Rúv
The attitudes of Icelanders toward crime and punishment have long been a subject of public debate. Discussions frequently revolve around the perception that existing sentencing practices are overly lenient and fail to adequately address the consequences of criminal behavior. In modern democratic societies, it is essential for sentencing policies and crime control practices to align with the public’s sense of justice. A failure to do so risks undermining the legitimacy of the criminal justice system. Consequently, understanding public opinion on crime and punishment is of critical importance and warrants comprehensive research.
In May 2025, I had the privilege of participating in the Nordic Research Seminar held in Middelfart, Denmark. These annual seminars provide valuable opportunities to engage with Nordic scholars and practitioners working in the fields of crime and criminology. My presentation was part of a larger Nordic NSfK collaborative research project on crime and punishment, which includes scholars from five Nordic countries.
My talk focused on one segment of this project: an analysis of public attitudes toward punishment in Iceland, based on a questionnaire adapted from a similar survey conducted in Norway. Central to this investigation was the question of whether Icelanders’ sense of justice aligns with current sentencing practices.
Methodology
The survey was conducted by the Social Sciences Research Institute at the University of Iceland in the spring of 2024. Data collection was carried out via an online survey targeting a nationally representative sample of 2,500 individuals aged 18 and older.
Key Findings
The findings reveal several noteworthy trends in public attitudes toward crime and punishment in Iceland. A majority of respondents—approximately two-thirds—perceived punishments as generally too lenient. More than half supported longer prison sentences overall. This punitive sentiment was particularly pronounced in relation to violent offenses and rape. For example, a vast majority (90%) of respondents believed that sentences for rape are “too light” or “much too light” (RÚV, 2024).
However, attitudes toward other offenses were more nuanced. More than half of respondents expressed the view that cannabis possession for personal use should not be punishable at all, while nearly half believed that sentencing for hate crimes was reasonable or too harsh.
Another significant finding was the emphasis placed on the rehabilitative goals of punishment. The majority of respondents—despite perceiving certain sentences as too lenient—believed that the primary objective of punishment should be to help offenders avoid reoffending. Furthermore, there was substantial support for alternatives to incarceration, such as community service and electronic monitoring, particularly for specific types of offenses.
Implications
These findings suggest the need for caution in interpreting claims that Icelanders hold predominantly punitive attitudes toward crime and punishment. While punitive attitudes are indeed evident, they appear to be concentrated on specific offenses, such as violence and rape, rather than on crimes like drug possession or hate crimes. Additionally, the broad support for non-custodial sanctions and the prioritization of rehabilitation over retribution underscores the complexity of public opinion on this issue.
The results highlight that, although Icelanders may perceive sentencing practices as too lenient in some cases, there remains a strong belief that the criminal justice system should focus on rehabilitation rather than retribution. This nuanced perspective suggests that public opinion cannot be easily categorized as purely punitive but rather reflects a balanced view that supports both accountability and rehabilitation.
About the author:
Helgi Gunnlaugsson is a Professor of Sociology in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Iceland. He received his PhD from the University of Missouri in 1992. Gunnlaugsson´s main research interests include criminology, penal policies, and the problem of drugs and alcohol in society.
Curriculum Vitae: https://english.hi.is/staff/helgigun
orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-7533
