Criminal Risk Assessment (in Germany) - We Criminologists Can Do That Too!

• In Event: Data and Risk Assessments in Courts

Abstract

The presentation on criminal risk assessment in Germany examines the methodological differences used by court experts. A special focus is placed on an original criminological approach that the speakers use in their expert opinions for criminal courts. The aim of the expert opinion is to understand the personality and social context of the defendant in order to derive an individual pattern of behavior. Ultimately, the court (in Germany the Criminal Court divisions with jurisdiction over execution of sentences) should be able to decide whether and how a conditional release can be granted. What is special about this method of criminal risk assessment is that, on the one hand, it meets the constitutional requirements for criminal risk assessment. On the other hand, it focuses specifically on criminological risk factors and intervention planning and not primarily on pathological conditions and correlations. For a better understanding of the procedure and the method, the speakers will explain their approach using a practical example. The lecture thus offers scientific insights into the diverse methodological approaches to crime prediction, with the focus on the speakers' original criminological approach.

Authors

• Christian Steffan, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

• Barbara Horten, Lehrstuhl für Kriminologie, Strafrecht und Medizinrecht Einschließlich Jugendstraf- und Strafvollzugsrecht, Mainz University

• Marisa Weinand, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany