Saqqummersitaq

The four Nordic island societies of the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and the Åland Islands have great differences both culturally and historically as to how, and to what extent, they have achieved autonomy/independence. At the same time, in some areas they have more in common with each other than with the other Nordic countries: Living conditions, with a dependence on nature. Small communities, with a prominent visibility and dependence on each other, where daily life is subject to strong traditions. And, to various degrees, the struggle for autonomy and independence.

Despite the four island societies being more or less independent parts of Nordic society, two of these, the Faroe Islands and the Åland Islands, have hardly been mentioned within criminological contexts. And no attempts have been made to look at these four areas collectively.
In order to more closely investigate the Nordic island societies within a criminological context, a group of researchers decided to focus on crime, incarceration and control in the four Nordic island societies. This report is the first result of the working group’s work.

The Scandinavian Research Council for Criminology has supported the working group both in the publication of this report and in connection with travels to three of the four island societies.