Senate plans 20 million euros for measures against youth violence

A budget of 20 million is to be made available this year for measures against youth violence in Berlin.

This was decided by the Berlin Senate on Tuesday, as Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) said after the regular meeting. "I very much hope that the implementation will now take place. The course has been set." The money will be used to finance a package of measures in the areas of parental work, school social work and youth social work, as well as to strengthen the juvenile justice system.

Up to 70 million euros earmarked in the 2024/25 double budget

In addition, the Senate has agreed that up to 70 million euros more for the area should be included in the applications for the 2024/25 double budget. However, this is no longer a matter for the current Senate to decide. Giffey made a point of keeping her word on the package of measures. "We had promised that we would make the corresponding Senate decision on this in mid-March," Giffey said. "We are now in mid-March, and the Senate decision has been made as announced." The corresponding Senate bill will next be forwarded to the Council of Mayors for comment. Some of the measures are also to be implemented by the districts.

Senate resolution to be implemented in the further course of the legislature as well

"You know that we are, of course, in an eventful time of transition and upheaval right now," the SPD state chair admitted, referring to the coalition negotiations with the CDU on the formation of a new state government, which began last week. If this coalition comes to pass, a black-red senate will have to deal with the double budget. "In the exploratory and initial coalition talks for the new state government, it has been agreed that the results of this youth summit and this Senate resolution will also be implemented in the further progress of the legislature," Giffey said in this regard. "So even beyond 2023, this is an important priority also in the future. In this respect, we have laid the foundations for more to actually happen in the area."

Package of measures is result of two summits against youth violence

The governing mayor stressed that there was no disagreement between black and red on this issue. It was clear to everyone that, particularly on this issue, they could not afford to fall behind what had been worked out. The package of measures is the result of the two summits against youth violence, to which Giffey had invited after the riots on New Year's Eve, during which there were numerous attacks on police officers and firefighters. Among the suspects were many young people.