Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law

Violent xenophobic behavior, like every human behavior, is inescapably bound to appearances that are typical for the ‘zeitgeist’. ‘Zeitgeist’ here serves as a superordinate term for all influences of socialization within a period of time that provide orientation in choosing guidelines for one’s behavior. Our today’s world, often labeled with the terms ‘late modernism’ or ‘postmodernism’ is characterized by more and more pluralistic supply of accepted life concepts. As is generally known this is associated with the relativisation of several values and of belief in norms, which again is bound with a loss of ground. Particularly juveniles therefore have considerable problems to solve their central developmental psychological task, namely, to develop their own identity. The so-called patch work identity, which doesn’t have any integrating force and also no consistent core of identity, ist the individual expression of these social conditions. The impact of imprisonment on violent xenophobic juvenile offenders shall therefore be examined on the basis of the concepts of self-perception and identity. This approach may seem perspectively and therefore onesided. But, in fact, in the context of this examination the concept auf identity is theoretically and methodologically very fruitful, for it alludes several disciplines and topics that have unique and outstanding relevance to the problem of xenophobia ending in violence. The concept of identity not only allows violent xenophobic behavior to be interpreted from the developmental and social psychological point of view, but also from a sociological one. The perception of our self relies on seeing oneself through the others’ eyes. This, again, is only possible by interacting with other people. Interaction takes place on several levels, not only between individuals, but also between groups of people (group identity) and even between whole societal groups. Identities on all levels are negotiated, confirmed or changed by interactions. The special situation in prison is characterized by the interactions being limited to an extremely small circle of people. Juveniles need to try out different roles in order to be able to shape their identity, which is particularly difficult in prison. The relevance of interactions in prison for the identity shaping can therefore hardly be overestimated. Moreover the concept of self perception allows examining xenophobic violence in terms of the labelling approach. This is even possible in two different aspects, for the prosecution and conviction is a reaction not only to a violent act, but also to a hate motivated act. The labelling therefore may not only concern the criminalisation, but also the hate motivation. The psychological relevance of the Labelling Approach lies in the assumption that the labelling is absorbed in the individual’s self perception. Therefore question has to be answered, whether this internalisation is related to being a criminal or a violent criminal, respectively or also to having acted hate motivated? The latter would mean that processes of self fulfilling prophecy would not only affect general criminal (violent) behaviour, but also hate motivated behaviour generally or hate motivated violence in particular. In this regard the special relation of the examined xenophobic prisoners’ group to the punishing instance, i.e. the state has to be taken into consideration. While ‘normal’ (non-xenophobic) prisoners usually see the punishment as a reasonable reaction to their criminal act, one cannot be sure that the xenophobic violent criminals have a more critical and ideologically charged point of view towards their punishment. Possibly they don’t see their punishment as justified, but rather see it as a confirmation for their critical view of the state that doesn’t do anything, whereas they at least ‘took matters into their own hands’. This aspect is closely linked with another focal point of the study, the neutralisation techniques. These were evolved by Sykes and Matza to explain how it is possible to members of subcultures to commit their criminal acts without any feelings of guilt, although they seemingly believe in the usual norms and values. In regard to the study described here the neutralisation techniques are used to study the depth of the xenophobic conviction and how it is rooted in their self perception. For examining this phenomenon with the concept of identity the qualitative interview is the most appropriate instrument, especially because only open questions leave it to the interviewee to decide which structure his self concept has. Only then it will be possible only to explain, but to understand, what sense the interviewees give to the inner processes of the juveniles. Statements to certain components of different areas of the identity and its emotional-evaluative quality (self-worth) can be made by using the opportunity to ask more specific questions. Consistent statements to self perception and identity of xenophobic violent criminals are being made by using the interview data in a hermeneutic-like cycle. This study is closely linked to the study of Figen Özsöz titled: The Impact of Imprisonment on Right-Wing Extremist Attitudes of Violent Juvenile Offenders.