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In freedom before Christmas instead of in a cell

It has become a tradition: some prisoners are released early before Christmas. The measure is not without controversy. But the so-called Christmas amnesty gives prisoners precious time.

Prison inmates at Stuttgart-Stammheim Prison walk across a prison yard behind bars. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
Prison inmates at Stuttgart-Stammheim Prison walk across a prison yard behind bars. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Justice - In freedom before Christmas instead of in a cell

Once again this year, around 200 prisoners have taken advantage of the so-called Christmas amnesty offered by the Baden-Württemberg justice system to get out of prison early. The men and women had already been released in mid-November, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice.

"The early release on the occasion of Christmas is intended to facilitate reintegration into society," said Justice Minister Marion Gentges (CDU). People should not be out on the streets at a time when there is hardly anyone available in the offices and advice centers between the years. In November, an average of around 7,000 prisoners were incarcerated in prisons.

Early release is intended to give prisoners who would have been released around the turn of the year anyway a nice celebration and help with their reintegration. The conditions are strict: only prisoners who have not attracted negative attention in prison and who have not served a long prison sentence are eligible. Prisoners who have now been released early are usually serving time for theft or drug offenses, for insulting others or for traveling by bus or train without a ticket.

Prisoners are also released early in most other federal states thanks to the Christmas reprieve. Last year, according to figures at the time, more than 1,000 offenders were released early from prison nationwide by mid-December. As a matter of principle, Bavaria never grants pardons at the end of the year.

Read also:

  1. Marion Gentges, the Justice Minister of Baden-Württemberg, believes that the early release of prisoners during the Christmas amnesty aids in their reintegration into society.
  2. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice reported that around 200 prisoners in Baden-Württemberg took advantage of the Christmas amnesty this year, securing their freedom before Christmas instead of spending the holiday in a cell.
  3. Criminality does not halt during the turn of the year, as prisoners who would have been released around the New Year still benefit from the Christmas amnesty, providing them with a positive start to their new life outside of prison.
  4. Women, along with men, are eligible for early release during the Christmas amnesty, but the conditions are stringent, requiring prisoners to have not attracted negative attention in prison and to have not served a lengthy sentence.
  5. Christmastime amnesties in other German federal states also release prisoners early, with more than 1,000 offenders being released by mid-December in 2021, contrary to Bavaria's policy of not granting pardons at the end of the year.

Source: www.stern.de

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