NCJ Number
134753
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 35 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1991) Pages: 283-295
Date Published
1991
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examines factors before and after the unification of East and West Germany that are likely to impact crime patterns in the reunified State; recommendations address measures to counter projected crime trends.
Abstract
Given the sparseness of criminological research and accurate criminal justice statistics in East Germany, this study relied upon interviews with criminal justice experts in the five new Federal States and in East Berlin. Crime-related factors examined in this study were the impact of economic, social, technological, and scientific development on crime trends; the transformation of the political and economic structure in the five new Federal States; and reactions to the unified criminal justice system by former citizens of East Germany, who were oppressed and harassed by their criminal justice system. The analysis of criminality, criminological research, and social control before the unification focuses on political, economic, and social structures of the two States as well as the extent and structure of criminality, criminological research, and social control. The study predicts that the western portion of the new German State will experience increased crime rates due to the massive influx of resettlers from East Germany and Eastern Europe as well as people from developing countries who seek political asylum and economic advancement. Crime in the East German States will gradually approach that of the West German States. Recommendations that address these trends focus on the organization of the criminal justice system under constitutional mandates, an emphasis on informal social control, public education about crime and criminal justice, and ensurance that criminal justice professionals are committed to constitutionality and democracy. 5 notes and 10 references