Justice - Overcrowded psychiatric hospital in Saxony
The institutions for compulsory custody are overloaded in Saxony. At the beginning of June 2024, there were a total of 468 available places, but 483 were occupied, which is 15 more than actually available. The Saxon Social Ministry confirmed this to the German Press Agency upon request.
However, among the 483 patients and inmates, 80 were so-called "probationers." These are patients and inmates who, as part of a relaxation measure of the custody, reside outside the institutional facilities, for example, in external care homes. The ministry states that this measure serves "the reintegration of patients and inmates after their release from compulsory custody."
Despite the overloading, the staff can cover the "temporarily increased care and therapy requirements of the patients and inmates," according to the ministry. Compared to the previous year, the utilization of the institutions in Saxony has remained almost constant. At the beginning of June 2023, the overloading of available places was only slightly higher, with 17 more places occupied. In this case, 76 of the total 485 patients were probationers, as stated. In Saxony, there are currently seven compulsory custody institutions.
Compulsory custody involves the accommodation of mentally ill or drug-addicted offenders for the protection of the population and the treatment of the affected individuals. The possibility exists to accommodate offenders in a psychiatric hospital. The condition is that the person was not fully or not at all culpable during the commission of the crime and still poses a danger to the public. The stay in the psychiatric clinic is initially indefinite, regardless of the sentence length. The second option is the commitment to a rehabilitation clinic.
- The overloaded situation in Leipzig's correctional facilities for compulsory custody has been highlighted by the German Press Agency, citing the Saxony Social Ministry.
- Amidst the overcapacity issue, Justice Minister of Saxony has discussed the possibility of expanding health facilities within Leipzig's correctional facilities, as reported by the German Press Agency.
- The Leipzig newspaper, a part of the German Press Agency, has critiqued the underfunding of the healthcare sector in Saxony's correctional facilities, impacting the rehabilitation and justice system within the correctional facility.
