Social forecast
A social prognosis or legal prognosis is a criminological , psychiatric and psychological risk assessment of a criminal with regard to their ability and motivation to comply with rules and laws at a later point in time. According to Section 56 (1) of the Criminal Code, it is the basis for assessing whether a custodial sentence must or can be suspended on probation, and for the rehabilitation of offenders .
Before making the prognosis, an intensive examination of the personality ( psychological diagnosis , usually in the form of a psychological or psychiatric report ) and previous behavior ( biography ) must be carried out.
It is often in criminal uses and is used there for sentencing and execution of sentence . There it is also used to enable those sentenced to probation to be released from prison early if the social prognosis is positive.
A positive legal prognosis describes the assessment of the diagnostician that the test person will essentially adhere to norms , rules and laws in the future .