Involuntary manslaughter in Nordic road fatalities: frequency, long-term consequences, social work interventions, and social support in the Nordic welfare states.

This study discusses the social phenomenon of involuntary manslaughter in road fatalities in Nordic countries, which the author found to be an unknown research area. The results discussed in this paper are based on complete data collected from 14 judgments from the 2004-2005 period from Swedish appeal courts and district courts. The study is also based on a literature review regarding involuntary manslaughter. The crime of manslaughter in connection with a traffic accident is an extremely sensitive subject. In many cases the accused finds it very difficult to speak during the trial. Words are few, while at the same time the accident has major social and psychological consequences for the perpetrator. The justification for more research in the area, into vulnerable groups (largely young men), the need for crisis intervention, and social support from hospital social workers, is discussed. The concept of recognition formulated by social philosopher Axel Honneth is also discussed in this paper (A). For the covering abstract of the conference see ITRD E217780.