PHILADELPHIA- John Braithwaite of the Australian National University and Friedrich Losel of Cambridge University in the United Kingdom have been selected as the first winners of the Stockholm Prize in Criminology for their achievements in developing theory and evidence on the prevention of repeat offending.  They will share the prize of one million Swedish kronor.

Lawrence Sherman, director of the Jerry Lee Center for Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, and Jerzy Sarnecki of the University of Stockholm, joint chairs of the jury, which selected the winners, announced the winners.

The Stockholm Prize was established in 2005 to reward achievements in criminological research or for the practical implementation of research findings to combat crime and promote human rights.  The jury was 11 criminologists from Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and Europe.

Braithwaite and Losel won for their theoretical and empirical research on programs and policies to prevent re-offending.  

The prize jury noted Braithwaite theories of "reintegrative shaming," shame for the act but support for the actor, and "responsive regulation," individualized but escalating sanctions.  

Losel was honored for his systematic studies of empirical evidence for the effectiveness of the ways in which corrections systems can succeed in accomplishing their tasks. The jury noted the winners' growing influence on public-sector policy programs likely to reduce crime and promote human rights.  

The prize will be awarded June 16 during the Stockholm Criminology Symposium, an international conference to be held June 15 to 17.

Additional information is available at www.criminologyprize.com.