Juvenile court assistance

If young people between the ages of 14 and 21 come into conflict with the law, it is the task of youth welfare services to assist in proceedings under the Youth Courts Act.

If the youth court assistance contacts the accused and, in the case of juveniles, also their legal guardians, it first informs them about the tasks and possibilities of the youth welfare office and the course of the juvenile criminal proceedings.

The early initiative of youth court assistance is prescribed by law in § 52 Para. 2 SGB VIII. This requires the youth welfare office to check at an early stage whether youth welfare services are available for the young person or young adult. The aim is to offer the help required from an educational perspective even before a judicial decision is made.