Europe

Hand holding on to chain link fence

Norway begins overhauling prison system from punitive to rehabilitative justice model

By 1968, Norwegians had become dissatisfied with the harsh living conditions of the correctional system, and the Norwegian Association for Criminal Reform (KROM) was formed. KROM’s first substantive change to Norwegian penology occurred in 1970, with the abolition of forced labor. In 1975, juvenile delinquency centers were abolished. Reforms in the early 1990s focused on rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.

International Court of Justice

The United Nations formally establishes the International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), colloquially the World Court, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It settles legal disputes submitted to it by states and provides advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by other UN organs and specialized agencies. The ICJ is the only international court that adjudicates general disputes between countries, with its rulings and opinions serving as primary sources of international law. Established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations, the Court began work in April 1946.