Police Advises Thousands of Children and Youth - Saxony-Anhalt's Youth Counselling Cuts Repeat Offending with Early Support

A specialised youth counselling service in Saxony-Anhalt is working to reduce repeat offending among young people. The programme, running since the mid-1990s, provides early support to children, teenagers and young adults who have come under suspicion of committing offences. Its goal is to tackle the underlying causes of problematic behaviour while helping them reintegrate into society.

The service operates from 15 main locations across the region, with additional outreach sites set up as needed. Staffed by 21 employees—though four positions remain unfilled—it offers tailored social and educational support to young individuals at risk.

Between 2021 and 2025, the team conducted over 8,800 counselling sessions directly with young people. Beyond one-on-one work, they also engaged in more than 2,000 consultations with family members and social services professionals, reaching a total of over 20,000 people. The programme focuses on long-term solutions by connecting young offenders with further aid initiatives. Rather than simply addressing immediate issues, counsellors work to identify and resolve deeper social, emotional or educational challenges that may contribute to offending behaviour.

The youth counselling service continues to expand its reach through fixed and mobile locations. By offering structured support and linking young people to broader assistance networks, it aims to create lasting change. Official figures on the total number of individuals helped since the 1990s remain unavailable, but recent data shows steady engagement with thousands each year.