Findings

Over the last two years, we have observed the criminal court cases of over 200 people. Here we share our findings from that work. We reveal the ways in which the criminal legal system serves a systemic function in upholding and shaping injustices. For example, punishment acts as part of the border regime, to push people to leave Germany by jailing them or keeping people in a cycle of poverty that also harms their migration status. We also have findings about how these injustices come about: What policies, procedures, and norms produce people's experiences of injustice? For example, we talk about how courts consistently charge high fines to people, despite law to the contrary, contributing to a cycle of punishment and poverty that helps shift blame for structural inequality from the state to the individual.

We will be releasing findings on a rolling basis so do check back here. You can also explore our case archive by each finding.