Unødig lang sagsbehandlingstid i danske straffesager: Uformel straf før dom

For many years the Danish criminal justice system has been criticized for its drawn out handling of criminal cases – which is not only pro­blematic for the victim’s sense of justice, but is also a violation of the defendant’s civil rights. It is nevertheless surprising how little we know about the implications for those who are forced to wait an unreason­ably long time for trial, especially for those who are not remanded into custody. This article uses a socio­legal perspective to explore the time before conviction for defendants who must continue to live their everyday lives while awaiting decisions. Based on interviews (n=45) and judicial decisions we show that the interviewees awaiting their trial are trapped in a powerless position and are unable to take po­sitive steps forward in their lives. Furthermore, the article shows that experiencing a drawn­out trial date has a negative influence on these citizens’ attachment to society even before their conviction by expo­sing them to social barriers similar to those faced by ex­convicts who have already served their time.