SiM is a organisation to support inmates and their families in the Austrian preventive detention ("Massnahmenvollzug"). The UN convention of the rights of persons with disabilities (UN-BRK) accurately defines the minimum of dignity which is assigned to inmates. We are committed to implementing this approach, which is a human-rights-oriented approach. Unfortunately, this is not a matter of course, since the current situation wouldnt be able to withstand the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. We actively support the resocialization of inmates with high effort and success. In fact, we see an important contribution to the protection of the victims through a successful res... read more SiM is a organisation to support inmates and their families in the Austrian preventive detention ("Massnahmenvollzug"). The UN convention of the rights of persons with disabilities (UN-BRK) accurately defines the minimum of dignity which is assigned to inmates. We are committed to implementing this approach, which is a human-rights-oriented approach. Unfortunately, this is not a matter of course, since the current situation wouldnt be able to withstand the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. We actively support the resocialization of inmates with high effort and success. In fact, we see an important contribution to the protection of the victims through a successful resocialization. In particular, the follow-up of the released detainees in dignified institutions, instead of mass-housing communities is important for us. As a result of ratification of the UN-BRK, Austria has undertaken the obligation to comply with minimum standards in dealing with vulnerable persons. This isnt currently available. We call for the implementation of the UN-BRK in its preventive detention, a special form of the prison system. We are currently working in a team on the drafting of an EU directive on the treatment of vulnerable persons from the time of imprisonment to the main hearing. They didn't have any representation in the execution of the measures and thus didn't have any realistic means of combating arbitrariness and repression. Inadequate expert opinions and prolonged trials often lead to disproportionate stopping times, far beyond the extent of the sentence. Prisoners in preventive detention were generally regarded as mentally abnormal legal offenders, an extremely questionable wording, which has to be changed to vulnerable persons). As mentally abnormal law-abusers, they came to the end of social dialogue as the culmination point in a court reporter or in a completely wrong context. We were able to positively influence the awareness of prisoners in the preventive detention of measures in large parts of the Austrian population through media work, the publication of the book preventive detention" and the organization of events. Prisoners have a reliable contact with us when it comes to specific issues. Legal adviser, visiting services, personal assistance, assistance with the release of the imprisonment. Financial support also helps prisoners on the road to resocialization. Through our presence, detainees are dealt more dignifiedly and thus have better access to the legal system, which unfortunately wasnt always self-evident. We also represent a functioning social network for many former detainees, which can often help on a very personal level in case of need, and already very concrete further crimes have been prevented. Cautious work with the perpetrators is an effective sacrifice. We are working with the detainees to develop the most sensible solutions for a successful resocialization. In the course of our personal care, we advise in many cases to professional training or reorientation in order to make the most of the time of imprisonment as sensibly as possible. Of course, we also help with implementation in order to make a hopelessly effective situation more bearable and as constructive as possible. SiM was founded by former detainees. Within a very short time, we were able to win many supporters who have never had anything to do with the preventive detention. The association currently has 60+ volunteer supporters. The work of SiM is supported by a special-purpose advisory board of well-known lawyers, sociologists and psychologists. We are in permanent contact with about 250+ prisoners. We look after them at regular intervals. Some of the detainees are involved in production of our magazine Blickpunkte", they also publish some articles of their day-to-day life. Detainees of the preventive detention were generally regards as insane in the social perception as dangerously disturbed prisoners, already despised. Since the publication of our magazine for prisoners, called Blickpunkte", in 2011, we have been working very successfully to positively influence the sensitivity to mentally ill people. Our success is because of the efforts of our media work and the publication of our book Manahmenvollzug" will also be an important topic for lawyers and journalists. This has the effect of increased reporting and increased treatment in the academic discourse on the preventive detention and thus also to a better understanding of detainees in this preventive detention. We use all communication channels to raise the issue to social awareness. In September 2016, in cooperation with the Mandelbaum Publishing House, we published our book Manahmenvollzug" It is the standard work on the subject. It was funded by crowdfunding, sold itself very well and finances the activity of SiM to a good extent. In the first quarter of 2017, we will also begin selling merchandising items. In order to point out the problems in the preventive detention, we convey the problem by the publication of one-time fates, which are often shocking because of the often intolerable as well as often inhumane circumstances. Through the publication of broad media such as ZIB 2, KURIER, HEUTE, nzz.at and other media, we were able to reach more than 5 million people in the shortest possible time. With the implementation of some project ideas, we want to create jobs for former prisoners. In autumn 2016, we were able to take over the magazine Blickpunkte" with all rights. We are about to carry out a relaunch and to appear in the future as a newsletter on the on the one hand and as a magazine on the other hand. Through the organization of readings, many people could be reached who had nothing to do with this topic. A special focus in dealing with the populace is the spread of the topic in the social networks and our internet presence (www.massnahmenvollzug.org). In addition, we are approaching target groups with readings, discussion events, which hitherto havent been aware of the preventive detention and their existing problems.
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