Prevention as a goal

New law to curb juvenile delinquency

(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

In the course of the debate on juvenile delinquency, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (both ÖVP) presented a draft law on Friday. The amendment is intended to enable measures that also apply to minors under the age of 14 who are under the age of criminal responsibility - however, it does not provide for a lowering of the age of criminal responsibility.

Following the conclusion of negotiations with the Green coalition partner, the amendment to the law should "come into force as soon as possible", said Edtstadler at a press conference in Vienna on Friday. The amendment should make it possible to hold case conferences in future, as well as to issue instructions on rules - even for under-14s, as was emphasized.

First instruct, then punish
In concrete terms, the regular briefings are to take the form of underage offenders being summoned to the police in person together with a parent or guardian. At a press conference in Vienna on Friday, it was announced that the authorities in the immediate residential area would be responsible. Repeated summonses should also be possible. According to Interior Minister Karner, the main purpose of the instructions is to prevent further and future offenses. According to Karner, violations such as a failure to appear or a disturbance could be punished with fines of between 1000 and 4600 euros - the "Krone" already reported on this.

Karner and Edtstadler presented the amendment and it was sent to Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens).

(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

The already familiar security police case conferences are also to be extended to children and young people who have committed crimes. "We have seen that there is a need for networking here, where police information is brought together with information from the child protection authorities and schools," said Karner at the media event at the Ministry of the Interior. Joint case conferences are also planned for cases of organized youth crime in order to be able to "counter the increased risk potential of 'youth gangs' in particular through coordinated measures", according to the Ministry of the Interior. Both changes are based on the Security Police Act (SPG).

Lowering the age of criminal responsibility excluded
Explicitly excluded from the press conference on Friday was the discussed lowering of the age of criminal responsibility. In April, Karner and Edtstadler had announced a lowering of the age of criminal responsibility "for serious violent offenses" and serious offenders from 14 to twelve years - together with the planned changes to the SPG. Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) remained opposed to this until the end. "We are still sticking to this demand," Edtstadler emphasized on Friday. According to the constitutional minister, it is necessary to be able to "put violent young people in their place".

According to Karner, the draft amendment to the SPG was recently submitted to the Ministry of Justice. He expressed optimism on Friday that the corresponding law would come into force in time for the upcoming National Council elections in the fall. He is convinced that "in the end, the right arguments" will prevail, said Karner.