Analysis of ICVS-data for Norway 1989 and 2004 indicates that penal attitudes among Norwegians have changed during the mentioned period. Also the Norwegian people have become more punitive during the last fifteen years than they used to be.

Since ICVS-data is rather poor when it comes to data which could be used to test possible explanations of changes in penal attitudes the intention with this project is to get a better understanding of how people think about punishment for crimes.

The project design is still under discussion, but the intention is that a researcher from each of the Nordic countries will conduct a standardised survey where a random sample of adults responds to a number of vignette cases.