Vienna pilot project for juvenile offenders faces calls for legal reform

The Austrian Ombudsman, Bernhard Achitz, is calling for the Ministry of Justice to establish a clear legal framework for the ‘time-out shared apartment’ pilot project in Vienna. The facility, operated in cooperation with the organization ‘neue wege’ since mid-July, is designed to accommodate juvenile offenders under the age of 14 for up to twelve weeks.

Critics argue that the current legal basis, the Residential Care Act (Heimaufenthaltsgesetz), is unsuitable for such measures. Achitz emphasized that while the project serves as a better alternative to lowering the age of criminal responsibility, any measures restricting freedom must be based on solid law and prioritize educational approaches over punishment. He also stressed the necessity of upholding human rights during these interventions.