THE LENGTH OF TIME OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS IN GERMANY

The official statistics on criminal proceedings in Germany show the increase in the number of criminal proceedings, however, m most cases, no increase in their length The greater number of criminal proceedings mainly concern local courts, i.e. cases of petty and minor offences. The German law of criminal procedure offers several possibilities for the dismissal of criminal cases, which are frequently used by public prosecutors and courts. Thus the average length of criminal proceedings could be preserved constant in recent years As regards the proceedings in regional courts i.e. cases of grave offences, the average length of proceedings in Germany is approximately six months. A more detailed analysis reveals, however, very different periods of time. In particular cases the proceedings are very long, which puts heavy burden on the court. The factors important for the length of the proceedings are, most of all, the type of the offence, the extent and complexity of the proceedings, special problems concerning the proceedings and the actions of the defence. In comparison with other countries, the proceedings in Germany are not excessively long