7. Social Therapy

§9 of the Prison Act is the legal basis for social therapy as a particular treatment oriented form of execution of term imprisonment. The integrative social therapy differs from other offers of treatment in the normal execution especially by the systematic linking of psycho therapeutic, pedagogic and work therapeutic approaches. The law differentiates between certain sexual offenders and other prisoners since 1998. Prisoners, who are sentenced to a term imprisonment of more than two years because of sexual offence, have to move to a social therapeutic prison also without their agreement, if the treatment, which is executed in this prison, is indicated (according to § 9 section 1 StVollzG). In particular the treatment in a social therapeutic institution is indicated, if the prisoners seems to be in need of treatment to decrease the danger of relapse, if he is able of treatment and if the possibilities of treatment in normal execution don’t seem to be enough.

Because the number of treatment places in social therapeutic departments has to be significantly increased according to this legal reorganisation, this regulation has to be executed until the end of 2002. According to § 9 section 2 other prisoners can be moved to a social therapeutic institution with their agreement, if the certain therapeutic measures and social helps of this prison are indicated to their rehabilitation.

The social-therapeutic prison of Erlangen with 41 single-quartering places (6 of them in the open regime) has been existing in Bavaria since 1972. Therapeutic departments for sexual offenders are established in the prisons of Munich (at present 16 places, in the future 24 places), Würzburg (24 places), St. Georgen-Bayreuth and Amberg (16 places each); two additional therapeutic departments, each of them with at least 16 places, are being established in the prisons of Straubing and Kaisheim.