Saxony-Anhalt associations guide former inmates toward crime-free lives with housing, work, and digital help

A network of associations in Saxony-Anhalt is helping people leaving prison to rebuild independent, crime-free lives. The main contact point, called Zebra (Centre for Release Assistance, Counselling, Resocialisation and Contact Point for Community Service), operates 11 locations across 13 regions with 15 staff members. Last year, it advised and supported 684 people still in custody and took over 100 released prisoners into ongoing care.

How the support works

Released prisoners are accompanied in daily life, often together with their families if needed. The aim is to create structure, re-establish a household, and navigate interactions with authorities. Digitalisation poses a particular hurdle: benefit applications at job centres are frequently online-only, and office terminals require digital skills that many former inmates lack. The associations use their personal contacts within public offices to mediate and accompany clients through these processes.

Whoever finds work again after a prison sentence, gets a flat and develops social stability has significantly better chances of a permanently crime-free life.

Growing need for support

Debt management, health issues and addiction are also central. Psychological strain and substance abuse are becoming more significant in almost all regions, and the need for accompaniment is increasing. Resocialisation does not start only after release: already during imprisonment, perspectives are developed, housing is sought, applications are prepared and support networks are built.

Resocialisation does not begin only after release. Already during imprisonment, perspectives are developed, housing is sought, applications are prepared and support networks are built.

Avoiding imprisonment through community service

Zebra also arranges community service that can avert a custodial sentence. Last year, 990 cases were processed, more than 11,000 daily rates were worked off, and 5,535 days of imprisonment were avoided.

Every avoided day of imprisonment means not only a financial relief for the general public. Above all, it means the chance for a person to take responsibility and embark on a new path.

According to the Ministry of Justice, 1,392 people were released from correctional facilities in Saxony-Anhalt last year after serving their sentences. The associations' work covers both those still inside and those already back in the community.