Vienna's New Juvenile 'Auszeit' Shared Living Facility Opens

After several delays caused by required building adaptations, Vienna opened the Auszeit‑WG for juvenile intensive offenders in the Simmering district. The facility, designed for children aged 11‑13 who have committed serious crimes such as robbery or burglary, admitted its first resident—a 13‑year‑old boy—about a week ago, with more admissions expected soon.

The shared‑living arrangement is legally based on the Wiener Kinder‑ und Jugendhilfegesetz together with the Heimaufenthaltsgesetz, providing two supervised places. Vice‑Mayor Bettina Emmerling (NEOS) noted that a federal legislative amendment for closed institutions is still pending and criticised the Justice Ministry for the lack of progress, urging a nationwide regulation to enable swift placement of intensive juvenile offenders across Austria.