Changes in Crime and Reactions to Crime in Japan Becoming Stagnant with Aging

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Abstract

In this paper the crime problem in Japan is analyzed demographically by the use of framework presented by David Riesman et al. As they foresaw, Japan seems to move toward a stagnant society with advancement of aging. We see many young persons with the social character of being other-directed. The delinquency committed by them is different from that committed by previous youngsters with the social character of inner-directedness. We see prevalence of a social-typed delinquency instead of antisocial-typed one. However, the reaction to juvenile delinquency has become harsh since the upsurge of movement by victim crimes.

With advancement of aging the crimes by old-aged persons have increased. Then, the treatment of old-aged offenders becomes important in the criminal justice system. I will explain how old-aged offenders receive the protective treatment especially in prisons. Then, the importance of introduction of diversion program for them is emphasized from the viewpoint of labeling perspectives and the cost benefit.

To cope with decrease in manpower, we begin to discuss whether the shortage of manpower would have to be made up by immigrants. Conservative people think that our social order would be greatly damaged if we accepted immigrants, especially those as plain laborers. I will explain that their thought is not justified by analyzing the change in crimes by foreigners since 1980.

The Japanese experience in practices to cope with crime problems may be useful to other countries toward aging.

Keywords

Aged society Juvenile delinquency Crimes by old-aged persons Crimes by foreigners 
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Notes

Funding

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Kokugakuin UniversityTokyoJapan

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