Kirsten Heisig

Kirsten Heisig was a German juvenile magistrate. Heisig was criticized by parts of the political left and parts of the Arabic community for her statements and for her view that some foreign cultures neglect education and encourage juvenile delinquency. As a juvenile magistrate for Neukölln, an area with a crime rate 40% above the average of Berlin, she initiated a model that streamlined procedures and targeted an appearance before court within 3–5 weeks after the deed had been committed for deeds punishable by a maximum imprisonment of 4 weeks. Other key elements were encounters between delinquent and victim and community service and a cooperation between legal organs and social workers. This model was extended to the entire city of Berlin in June 2010 and caught attention on a national level.