NCJ Number
64490
Journal
Monatsschrift fuer Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform Volume: 62 Issue: 5 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1979) Pages: 272-280
Date Published
1979
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TRENDS EMERGING FROM THE WEST GERMAN JUVENILE OFFENDER STATISTICS IN 1977 ARE ANALYZED, ALONG WITH JUDICIAL POLICY RELATING TO JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
Abstract
ANALYSIS OF 1977 OFFENDER STATISTICS REVEALS THAT TRENDS OBSERVED PREVIOUSLY (1972) DID NOT CONTINUE. THE SLIGHT DECLINE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY BETWEEN 1972 AND 1975 HAS GIVEN WAY TO A NEW RISE, WHICH CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO ADVERSE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND JUVENILE UNEMPLOYMENT. SUSPECT STATISTICS CONFIRM THIS RISE: THE PROPORTION OF JUVENILE SUSPECTS AMONG SUSPECTED OFFENDERS HAS RISEN FROM 13.5 PERCENT IN 1975 TO 15 PERCENT IN 1977. ENCOURAGINGLY, STATISTICS ALSO INDICATE THAT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS INCREASINGLY A TRANSITORY DEVELOPMENTAL PHASE WHICH IS RELINQUISHED IN LATER LIFE. AMONG JUVENILE OFFENDERS, DRUG ADDICTS AND THE CHILDREN OF FOREIGN WORKERS ('FOREIGNERS OF THE SECOND GENERATION') ARE FOREMOST. AN ANALYSIS OF THE PUNISHMENTS IMPOSED ON JUVENILES (PER EACH 1,000 CONVICTS) INDICATES A CONTINUING REDUCTION OF PRISON TERMS OF 'UNDEFINED' LENGTH ('UNDEFINED' SINCE THE INMATE CAN BE RELEASED AFTER HAVING SERVED ONE THIRD OF HIS SENTENCE). SINCE PRISON SENTENCES ABOVE 1 YEAR HAVE DECLINED BY 4 PERCENT, MANY JUVENILES DO NOT SPEND ENOUGH TIME IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TO PROFIT FROM REHABILITATION PROGRAMS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING OFFERED THERE. STATISTICS ON ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF PUNISHMENT SHOW THAT WEEKEND PRISON TERMS ARE REPLACING SHORT IMPRISONMENT, WHILE FINES AND FINANCIAL RESTITUTION ARE BEING SUPERCEDED BY OTHER COURT IMPOSED OBLIGATIONS (E.G., CHARITY WORK). THE STATISTICS ALSO POINT OUT THAT COURTS INCREASINGLY TEND TO APPLY THE JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL CODE TO YOUNG ADULTS (AGE 18-21), ESPECIALLY IF THE OFFENSE IS SERIOUS. ONLY IN THE TRAFFIC OFFENSES, OF THAT AGE GROUP DOES THE ADULT CODE STILL DOMINATE. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS SOME FOOTNOTES; EXTENSIVE STATISTICAL CHARTS SUPPORT THE ANALYSIS. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)