Life after prison in Germany - The first year of freedom | DW Documentary

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The first year of freedom is a test for all former prisoners. In Germany, nearly one in two of this group reoffend. The film follows two former prisoners. Can they find their way back into society?

The hardest thing about freedom for René, 43, is staying away from drugs. At the same time, he’s looking for a place to live. Alex, 31, wants to catch up on as much as possible - school, job, family. Both men have been released on parole after serving long prison sentences.

Alexander, 31, is from Berlin. His life went off the rails at an early age: He stole his first moped at the age of er, started using drugs then selling them. Several robberies at petrol stations landed him in prison. He was released in December 2022 after eight years in prison. His new life looks very different: Alex is now completing a vocational degree and works as a trainer for a violence prevention organization. He’s in a relationship and has become a father. From the outside, it looks almost too good to be true. And Alex admits: "I have to decide again, every day, not to be a criminal.” The biggest challenge he faces is himself: Will old family problems and self-doubt push him back into his old patterns? Or will he find the happy family life he has always longed for?

René, 43, is from Leipzig. He has spent a total of 16 years behind bars, with nine prison sentences for theft, robbery and assault. He has been out since January 2023, on the condition that he undergoes long-term therapy. The film accompanies him on his search for an apartment, a course of therapy and a way to reconnect with society. Appointments, probation conditions and his debts overwhelm René. But the biggest challenge is his drug addiction. "I feel like I need an oil change to get back to normal,” says René. His 15-year-old daughter Kilischa, who now lives with him after years of being apart, provides him with support. Will René manage to find an apartment and build a new life for himself? Or will he end up in prison again?

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