NCJ Number
139068
Journal
EuroCriminology Volume: 1 Dated: (1987) Pages: 61-75
Date Published
1987
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Between 1946 and 1982, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) experienced a decline in total crimes, from 472,295 to 120,175 offenses.
Abstract
There was a rapid decline of registered crime in the GDR after World War II, while the number of recorded crimes in the Federal Republic of Germany increased. The decline in delinquency in the GDR is explained in terms of the development of socialist democracy, particularly socialist relations of production in both rural and urban areas. Community involvement in fighting against and prosecuting crime is also seen as a factor in low crime rates. Punishable acts in the GDR include premeditated homicide, willful bodily harm, intimidation and abuse associated with sexual acts, robbery, blackmail, child sexual abuse, larceny, fraud, crimes against the national economy, arson, causing a serious traffic accident, endangering road safety, incompetent vehicle use, resisting a public officer, hooliganism, and document forgery. 4 footnotes and 6 tables