Guiding principles

BRÜCKE in short

We are part of a reform movement.
We implement legal demands.
We take social responsibility.
We see the person as a whole.
We create perspectives and chances.
We support and encourage our clients.
We focus on cooperation.
We pay attention to the quality and advancement of our work.
We are partner within a wider network.
We are an active non-profit organization.

We are part of a reform movement.

The non-custodial measures initiated and tested by practitioners are part of the inner reform of criminal justice that started between the late 1970s and early 1980s. BRÜCKE e.V. was founded in 1985.

The non-custodial measures aim at a higher number of informal settlements (direction by a public prosecutor); in the formal sphere they can serve as an alternative to custodial measures (detention).

In 1990 the non-custodial measures were incorporated into the catalogue of judicial directions by legal amendment. Scientific studies confirmed the efficiency of the educational programs.

We implement legal demands.

Our measures base on the Juvenile Courts Act and on the Child and Youth Services Act. The former one is part of the criminal law, it works with sanctions, but also centers on the idea of education. The latter is a modern welfare law. Accordingly our mission oscillates between control and the offering of chances.

We take social responsibility.

As a non-profit organization BRÜCKE defined its task from the beginning as “organizing social, educational and therapeutic measures that are suitable for reducing youth delinquency” (Charter, Par. 2, Ch. 2).

One of our main aims is to “de-dramatise” the delinquent behaviour of young people. Deviant behaviour results mainly from social shortcomings and is much less a manifestation of criminal energy. Empirical research confirms that usually youth delinquency is a temporary, episodical phenomenon. Hence we offer attendance and support during an unstable phase of growing-up.

We see the person as a whole.

Our conception of man is a humanistic one.

The young people who get in contact with us are seen as individual, valuable persons, regardless of their sex, age, social status, ethnic background and religion.

Central to our work is the situation of the young person, not his or her offence. Our work rests upon insights from educational science, psychology, medicine and sociology.

We create perspectives and chances.

We reduce social disadvantages by supporting young people in their search for work, education and healthcare.

We release fears by accompanying young people when they have to visit public authorities.

We encourage people to use their hidden resources.

We support and encourage our clients.

By our measures we impart social skills that shall contribute to solving conflicts in a socially compatible way.

We help so that people can help themselves and hence develop self-esteem.

We help to get over depressing situations and to open up new perspectives.

Our measures are orientated to the needs of our clients. Therefore we offer individual casework as well as group work and try to include the social environment as far as possible.

By extending our measures to children and young people who show deviant behaviour we underline the preventive approach of our work.

We focus on cooperation.

Our teamwork is based upon mutual appreciation and recognition.

The advice of colleagues is welcome and helps to cope with difficult situations.

Since we are a quite small, manageable organization it is possible to cooperate and swap ideas in all fields of activity.

We pay attention to the quality and advancement of our work.

We put emphasis on a high level of professional knowledge and are anxious to improve ourselves with the help of continued training and professional literature.

Our working processes are lucent and we are open for self-reflection.

Our concepts reflect practical experience as well as scientific knowledge.

We think of our programs not as static but adapt them to the changing needs of our target group. That includes the development of new offers and programs.

We regularly interchange with other organizations on local, national and international level.

We are partner within a wider network.

Our work takes place in close cooperation with the judiciary and youth welfare services. This cooperation rests upon mutual appreciation and is based on the conviction that proper results can only be reached by cooperating.

We are in close touch with several social institutions and projects and for our clients we make use of the expertise that specialized services (drug counselling service, debt advice service etc.) offer (delegation).

BRÜCKE is member of several bodies on local and national level.

We are an active non-profit organization.

By organizing events and actions we bring people together and equip the public with information and knowledge.

Regular activities of the organization make sure that members and staff encounter and interchange.

Our special projects that are in the public interest (for instance the cultivation of Wittelsbacher Park) are supported by employees and members who work on a voluntary basis.