Sentencing practice in Germany has long been stable, reflecting slightly falling crime rates. Public prosecutors dismiss the majority of cases that the police file with them as “cleared.” In a significant percentage of provable cases, prosecutors demand a penance payment of suspects in exchange for dismissal; many others are dismissed without any consequence for the suspect. Criminal courts dispose of more than half of cases in a written procedure, routinely accepting the sentence proposals of prosecutors. A growing number of trials result in “bargained” sentences, that is, sentences agreed on among the judge and the parties. Sentence severity in Germany is generally low. Life sentences are exceptional, and release on parole is available. Overall, only 5 percent of convicted offenders must serve a prison sentence. Another 12 percent receive a suspended prison sentence, and the rest are fined. German society at present does not appear to regard crime and criminal justice as pressing problems. Operating in the shadow of the public interest, agents of criminal justice can pursue a fairly liberal and rational course.

中文翻译：

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没有消息就是好消息：自2000年以来德国开始执行刑事判决

德国的判刑实践长期以来一直稳定，反映出犯罪率略有下降。检察官驳回了警方向他们提交的大部分已“清除”的案件。在可证明案件的很大一部分中，检察官要求对嫌疑犯进行pen悔付款，以换取解雇；许多其他人被解雇，对嫌疑人没有任何后果。刑事法院以书面程序处理了一半以上的案件，通常接受检察官的判刑建议。越来越多的审判导致“讨价还价”的判决，即法官和当事方之间达成一致的判决。德国的句子严重程度通常较低。无期徒刑是例外，可以假释。总体而言，只有5％的定罪罪犯必须服刑。另有12％的人被判缓刑，其余的人被罚款。目前，德国社会似乎并未将犯罪和刑事司法视为紧迫的问题。在公共利益的掩护下，刑事司法代理人可以采取相当自由和理性的做法。