The radical right parties argue for a more punitive criminal policy from a general standpoint of alarmism, authoritarianism, anti-elitism and nationalism. The general politics of other parties is increasingly marked by stressing risk, security, emotions, values, and neo-liberal ideals. In criminal policy these general tendencies will contribute to an expanding penal legislation. A risk society focuses danger. When greater importance is attached to security the law-breaker becomes a threat to the citizens rather than an object of rehabilitation in the welfare state. In an increasingly media dominated discourse emotional arguments rather than rational once will dominate and just deserts will motivate penal legislation at the expense of crime prevention.
When values replace class and interests in politics the criminality of immigrants will come to the fore and demands will be made for increased penal reactions against those of non-Swedish origin. Neo-liberalism, finally, frames explanations to crime in terms of individual morality in contrast to structure and social determinism, resulting in “make crime, do time”.