Preventive Detention in the Czech Republic: Trends and the Current Situation
Abstract:
In 2009, a new type of protective measure was introduced into Czech law, intended as a criminal sanction for dangerous offenders who, due to a mental disorder, have committed a serious offense and for whom the imposition of protective treatment would not be sufficient to protect society. This change was met with considerable anticipation from both experts and the general public. At the same time, more serious commentaries pointed out that, given the anticipated composition of the detainees (the official term for individuals serving preventive detention), caution and restraint are needed in initial assessments of the application of this new criminal sanction, as a complete picture will only become clear after the institution has been in operation for several years. This article presents findings from IKSP research focusing on the imposition and enforcement of preventive detention from its introduction in 2009 through the end of 2025. It examines developments in the imposition and enforcement of this “new” measure. A subsequent text, also to be published in the KONTEXTY series, will present findings from other parts of the research, particularly from an analysis of the criminal histories of individuals subject to detention and from data in criminal case files.
Authors
Blatníková Šárka, Zeman Petr
ISBN
ISBN 978-80-7338-228-5 (online/pdf)
Edition
Edition series KONTEXTY
Year of publication
2026
Keywords