[Migrants from the former Soviet Union born in German families and their relatives as patients in forensic units].
OBJECTIVE
Young migrants from Russia born in German families are seen as a special risk group for drug and alcohol addiction as well as for criminality. In Russia, they were marginalized as Germans, now in Germany, they are marginalized as Russians--and they repeat in Germany the internal structures of distrust against the police and other government agencies. In prisons and in forensic units, this group of young German-Russians are strongly over represented compared with to share in the general population. In prisons, they are a problem group mainly speaking Russian language, forming mafia like clans and dealing drugs--all this prevents the rehabilitation.


RESULTS
In sharp contrast, a forensic department succeeds in integrating these people by a consequent therapeutic community approach with highly frequent group psychotherapy, intensive work, sports, autonomy in cleaning the rooms and individual teaching possibilities in German language and other specialties with a teacher working on the ward.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite published negative experiences, it is well possible to improve the legal and social prognosis of Russian-German migrants by applying a consequent milieu- and psychotherapeutic setting utilizing actively the resources of these patients.
Hoffmann
Klaus
K
Zentrum für Psychiatrie Reichenau, Abteilung Forensische Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Reichenau. k.hoffmann@zfp-reichenau.de
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003415:Crime / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia / Q000208:ethnology; D012933:Social Identification; D012951:Socialization; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013808:Therapeutic Community; D014754:Violence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000639:trends