An evaluation of drug offender treatment in a health system setting (ss. 35 ff. BtMG)

Project date range: 1987 - 1994

Description

In the 1980s an option of addiction therapy in a health system setting was established for drug offenders in Germany (ss. 35 ff. Betäubungsmittelgesetz). In this model, the execution of a prison sentence may be suspended in favour of addiction therapy outside the prison system. The time spent in a treatment centre may be deducted from the prison sentence at least in part.
The nationwide study described and evaluated the implementation of judicial procedures and decisions allowing for drug therapy. The survey focused on offenders sentenced in 1984 whose sentences were suspended according to s. 35 BtMG. Data analysis included socio-demographic characteristics of the offenders, offence specific information as well as recidivism data until 1990/91.

Methods

Survey of licenced therapy institutions; analysis of case records, analysis of data of the German Federal Criminal Register (Bundeszentralregister); surveys of judges and public prosecutors

Publications

• Egg, Rudolf & Kurze, Martin (1991). Drogentherapie in staatlich anerkannten Einrichtungen: Ergebnisse einer Umfrage. (Berichte - Materialien – Arbeitspapiere; Heft 3, 3. Auflage). Wiesbaden: KrimZ. [Online via DigiKrimDok]
• Egg, Rudolf (Hrsg.) (1992). Die Therapieregelungen des Betäubungsmittelrechts – deutsche und ausländische Erfahrungen. (Kriminologie und Praxis (KuP); Bd. 9). Wiesbaden: KrimZ.
• Kurze, Martin (1994). Strafrechtspraxis und Drogentherapie: eine Implementationsstudie zu den Therapieregelungen des Betäubungsmittelrechts. (Kriminologie und Praxis (KuP); Bd. 12). Wiesbaden: KrimZ.