What Really Happens in Forensic Psychiatric Care - How Germany’s forensic hospitals treat mentally ill offenders for reintegration
Forensic psychiatric detention provides secure treatment for mentally ill offenders who cannot serve standard prison sentences. In Germany, around 10,000 people are currently held in these specialised facilities. The system focuses on therapy, security, and eventual reintegration into society.
Patients enter forensic detention under Section 63 of the German Criminal Code, which allows indefinite placement if they are deemed unfit for regular imprisonment. The process begins in the admissions unit—the most secure ward—where airlocks control entry and exit. This initial phase can last several months.
The average stay is about four years, though release depends on medical prognosis and whether the patient is no longer considered a danger. Over 80 percent of those detained suffer from schizophrenia, while others have personality disorders or intellectual disabilities. Treatment combines medication, psychotherapy, and group activities, including occupational, sports, and art therapy. Shared meals help patients practise social interaction and following rules. In emergencies, high-security or isolation rooms are used for temporary separation. Progress through the system moves from closed wards to more open units, reflecting improved stability. Roswita Hietel-Weniger, medical director at a forensic hospital in Linz, Austria, emphasises that the ultimate goal is recovery and safe reintegration.
Forensic psychiatric detention balances security with therapeutic support. Patients follow a structured path from high-security units to greater independence. Release is only granted when medical experts confirm they no longer pose a risk to society.
