In view of the sharply rising figures in certain age groups, the working group “Child and Youth Crime”, led by the Vienna State Police Directorate and the Federal Criminal Police Office and composed of representatives from all key organizations, wants to counteract with a five-point program. As a last resort, the introduction of closed institutions is also being considered, as provided for in the government program.

This measure is still controversial among the participating organizations, especially the child and youth welfare services, which have so far been strictly opposed. But, as Walter Dillinger from the Vienna State Police Directorate and head of the working group (AG), as well as Johannes Köhler, head of the Vienna child and youth welfare service (MA 11), said to journalists on Monday, there seems to be a rethinking. “We are facing a completely different situation,” said Köhler. “It was shocking that the state cannot defend itself against individuals if they don’t want to comply. That will change,” emphasized Dillinger.

The five-point program includes – before unapproachable repeat offenders are placed in closed facilities – prevention and networking measures for parents, educational institutions such as kindergartens and schools, as well as networking meetings of the organizations involved in the AG.

Project for threshold offenders from June

A “Coordinated Intervention for Threshold Offenders” (KISI) will in the future be the next stage when minors become delinquent for the first time. There will be a public security consultation for the guardians by police officers in the presence of the child. This is followed by monitoring of up to five months, at the end of which another consultation takes place. If the child has committed further crimes during this period, a control group (KISI) – composed of representatives of the Vienna child and youth welfare service – decides on further measures. The pilot phase starts on June 1, 2025.

The third stage involves the Orientation Help (OH) for underage intensive offenders, i.e., children who, by definition, have at least five entries for criminal offenses in police databases within a year. The OH aims to offer a long-term relationship offer, ideally with fixed trusted persons, who accompany the children continuously. Such children have already frequently experienced multiple placements in group homes and crisis centers. The specific form of the OH is decided in close coordination with the responsible social worker.

Closed institutions as a last resort

As a final measure for underage “system sprengers” – children who commit more than 50 crimes in one year – temporary accommodation in a closed institution is planned. This would be considered as an ultima ratio, but the legal prerequisites must first be created. Köhler estimated that in Vienna, with around 30 to 40 intensive offenders currently, about 10 to 15 places would be needed.

According to Dillinger, the AG representatives agreed that lowering the age of criminal responsibility “makes no sense.” The police officer: “But it cannot be that twelve-year-olds hold Vienna at random in suspense because we lack legal options.” According to current law, children in crisis centers and group homes may not be locked up, Köhler added.

Federal legal basis as a prerequisite

To actually implement these closed institutions, a federal legal basis is still needed. This must also include a judicial decision on how long the child in question may or must be held. According to MA 11 head Köhler, suitable properties must also be found, as the existing facilities cannot be converted into closed institutions. Experts are currently looking at concepts in Switzerland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The required residential measures should not be compared to a prison. There must be therapeutic settings and school instruction offered, since the children are still subject to compulsory education. Security personnel and strict rules are also necessary.

“These closed institutions will be among the ‘most expensive facilities we have,’” said Köhler. Petra Huber-Lintner from the Federal Criminal Police Office pointed out that doing nothing also costs a lot. “Each individual intensive offender causes 1.7 million euros in follow-up costs,” she said, citing a study from North Rhine-Westphalia. These include direct costs for the victims and indirect costs from care facilities. Since many offenders are at risk of not integrating into the labor market later, costs for social measures are added.

All of this will likely take some time. How much, Köhler didn’t yet know. “But it probably won’t be years, because there is also corresponding political pressure.”

Massive increase in numbers

Why the issue is now urgent was explained by Dieter Csefan, head of the department for combating organized and general crime in the Federal Criminal Police Office (BK) and of the task force for combating youth crime, newly established last year. According to him, the number of suspects aged 10 to 14 rose nationwide from 9,730 to 12,049 last year – an increase of 23.8 percent. In Vienna, the number of suspects in this age group practically exploded: from 2,392 in 2023 to 5,066 last year – an increase of 112 percent.

Köhler also spoke to APA about the increasing endangerment of his staff. Every two weeks, a social educator is injured.