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Life imprisonment in Germany

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238:. The preventive detention may be continued every two years until it is found the convict is unlikely to commit further crimes or be a menace to the public. Since 2004, it has also been possible for preventive detention to be ordered by a court after the original sentencing if the danger that a criminal poses upon release becomes obvious during their imprisonment. Despite its non-punitive status and the broadness of its potential application, though, preventive detention is used only in exceptional cases. 278:
a realistic chance for eventual release, provided they are considered safe to the community. It is at the discretion of the court to decide the length of the parole period, or if the offender is actually eligible for parole. If the convicted person is found not to be safe to the community, they either may be ordered never to be released or be released after a longer period of time, such as parole being delayed for a unspecified period of 15 years or longer.
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long non-parole periods in prisons that would generally last beyond a normal life span, such as 40 to 50 years. As a formality, the inmate has to agree to his release on parole (§ 57a I Nr. 3 StGB). Displays of contrition or appeals for mercy are not a condition for such a release. Today, most life sentences are normally given for murder.
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In consequence, mandatory life sentences are still imposed in Germany for murder, although with the possibility of being released. The ruling does not mean that every convict has to be released, nor does the ruling mean that mandatory life sentences cannot be imposed, but that every convict must have
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In declining a prisoner's first application for parole, the parole court determines a lack of suitability based on the extreme gravity of the offence, as well as the development (or lack thereof) of the prisoner behind bars. Such determination includes how many additional years the inmate must serve
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Although German law does not explicitly provide for life imprisonment without parole, there is a possibility that some convicts serving life sentences may never be released, particularly if they are considered too dangerous and unlikely to be rehabilitated, or if they are sentenced to extensively
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requires a legal regulation for when a prisoner is released. The imposition of life sentences was thus found constitutional, as long as the laws allow for some hope of release. As a consequence, §57a StGB was introduced in 1981, allowing parole even for life imprisonment.
166:, the parole court ordered a deferment of at least 11 years (making his sentence a minimum of 26 years) before he again became eligible for parole. Such a long length was due to his involvement in multiple killings, lack of remorse, and his affiliation with a 234:) after the actual sentence is satisfied. This is technically not considered a punishment, but a decision to protect the public, and elements of prison discipline that are not directly security-related are relaxed for those in 150:
before again being eligible to apply for early release. There is no legal limit on the term the parole court can hand down, though in practice the average term is about 5 years, and longer periods are rare.
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rejects the application, the inmate may reapply after a court determined blocking period no longer than two years (§ 57a IV StGB). If the court has determined a "severe gravity of guilt" exists (
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for the murder of five people. He was incarcerated beyond the required 38 years after it was determined he was a danger to society. Such a ruling mandates continued imprisonment
527: 438: 183:, as being safe toward society is required to be paroled from a life sentence (§ 57a I Nr. 3 StGB in conjunction with § 57 I Nr. 2 StGB). However, the case was 553: 506: 421: 134:) has an indeterminate length and is the most severe punishment that can be imposed. A person sentenced to life imprisonment may normally apply for 269:
in all cases are unconstitutional because the respect of human dignity requires a "realistic prospect of being released", and the principle of the
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According to data from the federal ministry of justice (1998) the average time served for a life sentence in Germany is 19.9 years.
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http://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/raf/ex-raf-terrorist-christian-klar-kommt-nach-26-jahren-frei_aid_350794.html
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that the decision to hold the prisoner beyond the original 38 years was unconstitutional for case-specific reasons.
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who was sentenced to life in prison in 1963 for murdering a pair of lovers and completed 59 years (including
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Prior to 1977, all life sentences in Germany were imposed without the possibility of parole (though
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In another case, a court ruled the defendant had to serve at least 38 years in
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In instances where the convict is found to pose a clear and present danger to
860: 565: 461:"BVerfG 2 BvR 1758/10 - 29. November 2011 (OLG Nürnberg) · hrr-strafrecht.de" 146:), parole is delayed for a non-specific period beyond 15 years (§ 57a StGB). 331: 202:, who in total had served 49 years, from 1959 until his death in 2008, for 192: 139: 398: 347: 270: 230:, the sentence may include a provision for preventive detention (German: 203: 390: 366: 315: 241:
Paroled prisoners usually must stay in regular contact with a civilian
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life imprisonment without the possibility of parole
218:) in prison until his release was ordered in 2021. 48:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 198:One of the most prominent "long termers" has been 858: 222:Release and imposition of preventive detention 651: 658: 644: 551: 344:engaging in relations that endanger peace 108:Learn how and when to remove this message 532:oberlandesgericht-karlsruhe.justiz-bw.de 859: 440:OLG Nürnberg, 02.08.2010 - 2 Ws 172/10 428:leaving prison after 26 years in jail) 261:were sometimes granted). In 1977, the 665: 639: 525: 298: 294:Crimes allowing for life imprisonment 138:after having served 15 years. If the 609:§ 211 German federal punishment code 321: 210:. As of 2023, the record is held by 46:adding citations to reliable sources 17: 253:1977 judgement on life imprisonment 13: 265:found that mandatory sentences of 154:Notable cases of life imprisonment 14: 883: 393:for the purpose of committing a 22: 621: 612: 33:needs additional citations for 603: 578: 552:von Törne, Lars (2021-03-24). 545: 526:Karlsruhe, Oberlandesgericht. 519: 500: 477: 453: 431: 415: 57:"Life imprisonment in Germany" 1: 408: 397:causing death, and attacking 340:illegal disclosure of secrets 285: 867:Life imprisonment by country 516:in "Stuttgarter Nachrichten" 381:causing death, effecting an 144:besondere Schwere der Schuld 7: 377:causing death, effecting a 263:German Constitutional Court 189:German Constitutional Court 132:lebenslange Freiheitsstrafe 10: 888: 673: 385:causing death, misuse of 872:Penal system in Germany 558:Der Tagesspiegel Online 507:article from 2008-12-30 495:Stuttgarter Nachrichten 484:article from 2008-12-19 312:crimes against humanity 465:www.hrr-strafrecht.de 628:German criminal code 236:preventive detention 232:Sicherungsverwahrung 42:improve this article 369:for the purpose of 200:Heinrich Pommerenke 158:In the case of the 512:2008-12-31 at the 489:2009-01-09 at the 391:attacking a driver 387:ionizing radiation 318:against a person. 299:Mandatory sentence 216:pretrial detention 212:Hans-Georg Neumann 854: 853: 667:Life imprisonment 379:nuclear explosion 328:war of aggression 322:Possible sentence 128:life imprisonment 118: 117: 110: 92: 879: 660: 653: 646: 637: 636: 630: 625: 619: 616: 610: 607: 601: 600: 598: 597: 582: 576: 575: 573: 572: 549: 543: 542: 540: 539: 523: 517: 504: 498: 481: 475: 474: 472: 471: 457: 451: 450: 449: 448: 435: 429: 419: 346:, manslaughter, 247:Bewährungshelfer 160:Red Army Faction 113: 106: 102: 99: 93: 91: 50: 26: 18: 887: 886: 882: 881: 880: 878: 877: 876: 857: 856: 855: 850: 669: 664: 634: 633: 626: 622: 617: 613: 608: 604: 595: 593: 584: 583: 579: 570: 568: 550: 546: 537: 535: 524: 520: 514:Wayback Machine 505: 501: 491:Wayback Machine 482: 478: 469: 467: 459: 458: 454: 446: 444: 437: 436: 432: 420: 416: 411: 405:causing death. 389:causing death, 375:taking hostages 373:causing death, 365:causing death, 361:causing death, 357:causing death, 324: 301: 296: 288: 255: 243:"parole helper" 224: 168:terrorist group 156: 114: 103: 97: 94: 51: 49: 39: 27: 12: 11: 5: 885: 875: 874: 869: 852: 851: 849: 844: 842:United Kingdom 839: 834: 829: 824: 819: 814: 809: 804: 799: 794: 789: 784: 779: 774: 769: 764: 759: 754: 749: 744: 739: 734: 729: 724: 719: 714: 709: 704: 699: 694: 689: 684: 679: 674: 671: 670: 663: 662: 655: 648: 640: 632: 631: 620: 611: 602: 577: 544: 518: 499: 476: 452: 430: 426:Christian Klar 413: 412: 410: 407: 355:sexual assault 323: 320: 300: 297: 295: 292: 287: 284: 254: 251: 223: 220: 164:Christian Klar 155: 152: 116: 115: 30: 28: 21: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 884: 873: 870: 868: 865: 864: 862: 848: 847:United States 845: 843: 840: 838: 835: 833: 830: 828: 825: 823: 820: 818: 815: 813: 810: 808: 805: 803: 800: 798: 795: 793: 790: 788: 785: 783: 780: 778: 775: 773: 770: 768: 765: 763: 760: 758: 755: 753: 750: 748: 745: 743: 740: 738: 735: 733: 730: 728: 725: 723: 720: 718: 715: 713: 710: 708: 705: 703: 700: 698: 695: 693: 690: 688: 685: 683: 680: 678: 675: 672: 668: 661: 656: 654: 649: 647: 642: 641: 638: 629: 624: 615: 606: 591: 587: 581: 567: 563: 560:(in German). 559: 555: 548: 533: 529: 522: 515: 511: 508: 503: 496: 492: 488: 485: 480: 466: 462: 456: 442: 441: 434: 427: 423: 418: 414: 406: 404: 400: 396: 392: 388: 384: 380: 376: 372: 368: 364: 360: 356: 352: 351:causing death 349: 345: 341: 337: 333: 329: 319: 317: 313: 309: 305: 291: 283: 279: 275: 272: 268: 264: 260: 250: 248: 244: 239: 237: 233: 229: 219: 217: 213: 209: 205: 201: 196: 194: 190: 186: 182: 181: 176: 171: 169: 165: 161: 151: 147: 145: 141: 137: 133: 129: 125: 124: 112: 109: 101: 90: 87: 83: 80: 76: 73: 69: 66: 62: 59: –  58: 54: 53:Find sources: 47: 43: 37: 36: 31:This article 29: 25: 20: 19: 16: 812:South Africa 726: 623: 614: 605: 594:. 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"Life imprisonment in Germany"
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Germany
parole
parole court
Red Army Faction
Christian Klar
terrorist group
prison
de jure
appealed
German Constitutional Court
held
Heinrich Pommerenke
mass murder
rape
Hans-Georg Neumann
pretrial detention
society
preventive detention
"parole helper"

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