NCJ Number
88783
Journal
Bewaehrungshilfe Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Dated: (1981) Pages: 110-118
Date Published
1981
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The heavy financial indebtedness which many ex-offenders face after release constitutes a serious obstacle to their successful reintegration. Postrelease programs in West Germany are providing assistance in the form of debt management.
Abstract
Offenders accumulate long-standing debts before incarceration through court costs, attorneys' fees, restitution payments, and alimony commitments. They earn little income while in corrections and, once released, are beset by multiple creditors clamoring for payment of owed sums that may average between 6,000 and 10,000 German marks or amount to some 100,000 in some cases. Bad credit heightens the dilemmas of resocialization, and the enormity of such financial demands makes the effort of keeping a low-paying job appear futile. Some private associations, notably 'Bridge' groups operating in support of probation assistance services, have begun to offer debt management guidance, negotiation with creditors on debt reduction or debt consolidation with funds loaned from special nonprofit foundations. Through debt consolidation, qualified ex-offenders may obtain long-term loans which are then used to pay off old debts while repayment is regulated in installments corresponding to the clients' means. Such programs have only been operative since the 1970's and remain limited in scope, serving only a small number of clients. To solve the problem of ex-offender indebtedness, legislative measures should be taken to promote higher earning power of imprisoned persons, avoidance of imprisonment for default of payment, and wider use of forced debt settlement. Nine footnotes are given.