NCJ Number
78597
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This West German study compares the delinquency of alien juveniles and German juveniles in West Germany and examines how immigration offices deal with alien offenders, how alien delinquents are handled in German juvenile courts and correctional facilities, and how probation officers assist foreign probationers.
Abstract
One city with a high percentage of foreign inhabitants was selected from each of the 11 German States. Only Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich were considered in this study. Statistical analyses were made for overall crime rates and for specific age groups. Although Germans and aliens in the youngest age group had similar crime rates, aliens between 14 and 21 years old had a strikingly higher crime rate than their German counterparts. Possible explanations for this pattern are examined. German law states that foreigners convicted for a crime may be deported. In most cases, delinquent aliens are deported after serving their sentences. This provides little incentive for rehabilitative programming involving foreign delinquents. Regarding the sentencing of alien juveniles, the courts tend to impose more severe sentences for minor offenses and less severe sentences for serious offenses. Probation is rarely used since aliens are usually first deported, but those who do serve on probation have difficulty finding employment. Immigration law should be changed to serve the best interests of juvenile aliens, including allowing them to integrate into German society following completion of their sentences.