Research Projects

The Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony (KFN) is an independent research institute mainly dedicated to understanding the preconditions and consequences of crime. Our criminological research is fundamental, practice-oriented, and interdisciplinary. We currently employ around 20 scientists from the fields of criminology, law, sociology, political science, and psychology, as well as a large number of student assistants and interns. The KFN is divided into three research units: Aetiology of Deviance, Victimology, and Institutions of Social Control, which are supported by a Methods Department.

 

The research unit Aetiology of Deviance is primarily dedicated to offender-related research on causes of crime. Based on empirical research rooted in theory, it combines microscopic and macroscopic perspectives. This unit focuses on the study of crime over the life course, the investigation of deviant behaviour against the background of social change, and the analysis of how deviations from the norm are handled. Currently, we focus on the following research questions: (1) How and under what conditions do different delinquency trajectories emerge among adolescents? (2) How and under what conditions does religion influence deviant behaviour?  (3) How and under what conditions do ethnic asymmetries in social norm enforcement come about? To answer these and other research questions, we use quantitative (cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys and experiments) and qualitative approaches (as well as a combination of the two).

Aetiology of Deviance

 

Heads of research unit:
Dr. Jan-Philip Steinmann and Prof. Dr. Thomas Bliesener
Criminality over the life course

Lower Saxony Survey

Integration and deviance trajectories of immigrant youths

Social change and deviance

Religion and deviant behavior

Historical roots of crime in international comparison

Reactions to violations of norms

Sanctioning norm violations in ethnically plural societies

Aetiology of Deviance

Heads of research unit:
Dr. Jan-Philip Steinmann und Prof. Dr. Thomas Bliesener
Criminality over the life course

Lower Saxony Survey

Integration and deviance trajectories of immigrant youths

Social change and deviance

Religion and deviant behavior

Historical roots of crime in international comparison

Reactions to violations of norms

Sanctioning norm violations in ethnically plural societies

The research unit Victimology investigates crime by focusing on the perspectives of individual victims. One focus is on procedural victimology, i.e., the interaction of victims of crime with state institutions, especially law enforcement agencies. Against the backdrop of the ongoing discussion about improving victim protection and reform efforts, this research unit focuses on the following research questions: (1) How do victims of crime experience criminal justice procedures and what influences this? (2) How effective are reform efforts in protecting victims? In addition, the research unit strives to regularly examine current, socially relevant victimological phenomena with a cross-sectional focus on the previously mentioned research questions. To this end, the research unit uses a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, focusing on the implementation of longitudinal studies.

Victimology

 

Heads of research unit: Dr. Farina Rühs and Dr. Anne-Kathrin Kreft
 
Prevention and health promotion at vocational schools focused on addictive drug use and internet-related disorders of trainees (PARI) Intimate partner violence against men – from shame to help Aggression and Violence against Politicians in Germany. Forms, Spread and Consequences for Individuals and Society

Victimology

Heads of research unit:
Dr. Farina Rühs and Dr. Anne-Kathrin Kreft
Prevention and health promotion at vocational schools focused on addictive drug use and internet-related disorders of trainees (PARI)
Intimate partner violence against men – from shame to help
Aggression and Violence against Politicians in Germany. Forms, Spread and Consequences for Individuals and Society

 

The research unit Institutions of Social Control primarily focuses on the penal and correctional systems (including juvenile detention). However, the work of the criminal justice system and other state institutions of social control that respond to norm violations (e.g., police, juvenile and family welfare) is also examined in various projects (e.g., retrial, human trafficking, sentencing, femicide, transition management). Currently, the following research questions are being examined: (1) To what extent do certain sanctions of criminal law—such as the currently much-discussed alternative custodial sentence—have a special preventive effect? (2) What is the effect in terms of special and general prevention if the sanctions required after a norm violation and expected by the perpetrators or their environment are not imposed? (3) How and under what conditions does the individual (experience of justice) in the context of the criminal process and the penal system influence the effect of sanctions on special prevention? The approach to the research questions usually involves multiple methods. It integrates a broad spectrum, from (expert) interviews to dark field studies and file analyses to the evaluation of official registry data.

Institutions of social control

 

Heads of research unit:
Dr. Laura Klebe and
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bliesener
Client survey regarding transition management from prison to life in society Mistakes and Retrials within Criminal Proceedings Femicides in Germany Evaluation of the Prostitute Protection Act Evaluation of the Lower Saxony Police and Public Order Authorities Act (NPOG)

Evaluation of the sentencing circumstances designated by law in sec. 46 subs. 2 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) for the purpose of reviewing and facilitating their application in practice (EPa46II) Does imprisonment for default of payment have negative special preventice effects? Nationwide Warning Day 2023 Transgender people in prison “Non-punishment- principle” (NPP): Legal basis and application in Germany

Institutions of social control

Heads of research unit:
Dr. Laura Klebe and
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bliesener
Client survey regarding transition management from prison to life in society
Mistakes and Retrials within Criminal Proceedings
Corona Behind Bars (CoBeBar)
Femicides in Germany
Evaluation of the Prostitute Protection Act
Evaluation of the sentencing circumstances designated by law in sec. 46 subs. 2 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) for the purpose of reviewing and facilitating their application in practice (EPa46II)
Evaluation of the Lower Saxony Police and Public Order Authorities Act (NPOG)
Does imprisonment for default of payment have negative special preventice effects?
Nationwide Warnind Day 2023
Transgender people in prison
“Non-punishment- principle” (NPP): Legal basis and application in Germany

 

The Methods Dept. focuses on research methods and statistical procedures that are used to observe, measure and analyze crime phenomena. In view of the constantly developing new data sources (e.g. big & digital data), innovative research designs (e.g. virtual & video scenario) and analysis methods (e.g. machine learning), many opportunities are opening up for empirical criminology. The vision is to explore the challenges and potentials of the new “method fields” for criminological research at the KFN through methodological research. Furthermore, the Dept. intends to document past KFN research projects under methodologically relevant categories and to synthesize the results of long-term KFN research areas (e.g. Lower Saxony surveys and student surveys) using new analytical methods. In addition, the Dept. actively supports the research units and scientists of the KFN in the planning and implementation of projects and is responsible for further training and the promotion of academic networks.

Methods Dept.

 

Head: PD Dr. Daniel Seddig
 
Methodological research

  • New data sources and analysis methods
  • Criminological data and causality
  • Mixed methods
Synthesis and documentation

  • Synthesis of KFN self-reported crime research
  • Documentation of past projects
Consultation and training

  • Consultation
  • Method workshops, lectures and discussion series (KFN Method-Lab)
  • Internationalization

Methods Dept.

Head: PD Dr. Daniel Seddig
Methodological research

  • New data sources and analysis methods
  • Criminological data and causality
  • Mixed methods

Synthesis and documentation

  • Synthesis of KFN self-reported crime research
  • Documentation of past projects

Consultation and training

  • Consultation
  • Method workshops, lectures and discussion series (KFN Method-Lab)
  • Internationalization

Completed projects

Aetiology of Deviance

The development of criminal activity amongst the non-German population in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein

Radicalisation within the digital age (RadigZ)

Catcalling

Evaluation for the storage personal data of minors (Article 33 paragraph 2 VSG NRW)

Victimology

The Nordic Modell in the centre of Europe? – Impacts of the Corona-Pandemic in the field of Prostitution

Cybercrime against private users

Psychosocial trial support

Cyberattacks against companies

Special evaluation of adolescent consumer behavior and the use of addiction preventive offers in Lower Saxon

Institutions of social control

Corona Behind Bars (CoBeBar)

Legal probation after release from open prison – a comparative study

Warning day 2022

Muslims in juvenile justice facilities

Evaluation of the penal provisions combating human trafficking (§§ 232 bis 233a StGB)

Police-issued eviction order

Social change and crime (until January 2021)

Pericles

Immigration to Lower Saxony

Prejudice-Related Crime

Everyday experience and settings of refugees in Lower Saxony (ALFiN)

Migration and Crime
Strategies for the prevention of left-wing extremism in Lower Saxony

Cause and prevention of deviant behavior (until January 2021)

Klasse2000 (Class2000)

Pro Kind Follow Up

Prevention and treatment of substance and non-substance addictions in Lower Saxony

Media Protect

Internet and video game addiction

Pro Kind

“Lust auf Leben wecken”: Getting kids off the screen

Video game age ratings in Germany

Media use and school achievement

Media in childhood: Pilot project on intervention in media use among ten-year-olds

Evaluation of ‘LoGo’ Antiaggression Training Courses

Social control and sanctioning (until January 2021)

Evaluation of the youth restitution in Lower Saxony

Evaluation of police video surveillance in public places in NRW (§ 15a PolG NRW)

Evaluation of the Forensic Psychiatry in Lower Saxony

Evaluation of the youth detention in Schleswig-Holstein

Developmental consequences of incarceration (Hanover Prison Study)

Fragile Transitions: The integration of young men with prison experience into work and training

The influence of heroin prescription on the delinquency of opiate addicts

Volunteer work in Berlin correctional institutions

Victimisation in prison

Working in correctional institutions

Evaluating treatment of young sex offenders

The consequences of incarceration

The effect of the demographic change on crime trends and the work of police, justice, detention and probation service

Violence against police officers (2005 – 2009)

Violence against police officers (1985 – 2000)

Police in the progress of change

Causes of divergent developments in imprisonment rates

From talking about the to talking with them… The target group for ambulant sanctions

Needle exchange programme in the City of Hamburg prison system

Ambulant sanctions for juvenile offenders

Evalutation of the newly introduced option of youth detention in conjunction with youth penalty suspended on probation (shock detention)

Violence against police officers on operational and patrol duty in Lower Saxony

Crime + crime effects (until January 2021)

Rocker crime

Organized Crime concerning Domestic Burglary

Homicide of children aged 6-13 years in Germany

Transient burglars: Research project on convicted transient offenders

Criminological comparative regional analysis of burglary

Sexual abuse by Catholic clerics

Homicide of children aged 0–5 years in Germany

Fear of crime among older persons

Elderly victims of sexual violence: A neglected victim group?

Victimisation and trust in the system

KFN victim survey: Fear of crime among older persons

Prevention and intervention in human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation (PRIMSA)

Evaluation of the BISS counselling and intervention centres for victims of domestic violence

Monitoring of unreported crime and program evaluation (until January 2021)

Update of regional analyses of right-wing extremism in Schleswig-Holstein

Data analysis and documentation of the self-report survey in Schleswig-Holstein

Analysis of trends in crime committed by immigrants in Schleswig-Holstein

Victim survey 2011

Media use and punitivity