Beamter/Beamtin im Justizvollzugsdienst (gehobener nichttechnischer Dienst)

Learning locations include: Universities of Applied Sciences/Colleges for Public Administration (Fachhochschulen/Hochschulen für öffentliche Verwaltung): lecture halls, seminar and exercise rooms, libraries. Correctional facilities (Justizvollzugsanstalten): offices. Home (e.g., for preparation and follow-up of courses, completing assignments).

Amendment of the Federal Civil Service Regulations (Bundeslaufbahnverordnung): The new Federal Civil Service Regulations came into force on March 17, 2026. They open up demand-oriented special access routes to counteract the shortage of skilled workers. A key focus of the reform is the equalization of vocational and academic education. For example, access for individuals with vocational advanced training qualifications such as Bachelor Professional or Master Professional is now also possible in the higher technical administrative service and the higher scientific service.

Occupation type: Civil service training (Beamtenausbildung); different career titles exist in individual federal states (Bundesland). Type of training: Studium (university studies) at Universities of Applied Sciences/Colleges for Public Administration (Fachhochschulen/Hochschulen für öffentliche Verwaltung), practical study periods in correctional facilities (Justizvollzugsanstalten). Qualification: Diploma. Duration: 3 years. Tasks and activities: Civil servants in the higher correctional service act as administrative service managers in the main administration of a correctional facility, responsible for budget, treasury, organizational, and personnel matters, and they oversee work and economic administration. In doing so, they lead and coordinate all administrative work of a correctional facility. In work administration, they procure work for prisoners and review the economic efficiency of the work operations where prisoners are employed. In the enforcement office, they check sentence calculations. In security and order services, they are responsible for security monitoring.

3 years

Typically, a selection process is conducted, which tests general knowledge, knowledge of contemporary historical events in culture and politics, proficiency in the German language, and psychological suitability.

Structure of a Studium (university studies) in the higher correctional service: Practical introduction at correctional facilities: 1 month. Specialized academic Studium I at a University of Applied Sciences/College for Public Administration (Fachhochschule/Hochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung): 8 months. Specialized practical Studium I, e.g., at the penal enforcement office and correctional facilities: 8 months. Specialized academic Studium II at a University of Applied Sciences/College for Public Administration: 7 months. Specialized practical Studium II, e.g., at the penal enforcement office and correctional facilities: 9 months. Specialized academic Studium III at a University of Applied Sciences/College for Public Administration: 3 months. Career examination. Total Studium duration: 3 years.

No Studium (university study) fees are charged. However, travel costs or expenses for learning materials may arise. If accommodation is provided at the educational institutions, additional costs may also be incurred.

Theoretical Studium (university study) sections include topics such as correctional law, correctional administration, criminal and criminal procedure law, civil law, criminology, psychology, business administration, budget law, personnel management, educational measures for prisoners, juvenile offenders, and foreign offenders, security organization in correctional facilities, substance abuse and addiction, correctional relaxations, open detention, and leave from custody, and correctional planning. Practical Studium (university study) sections provide professional knowledge and experience.

During the theoretical Studium (university study) sections, one should attend lectures and seminars in the lecture halls and seminar rooms of the Fachhochschule/Hochschule for public administration. Practical exercises involve, for example, participating in practice-oriented projects to solve complex tasks in correctional law. Independent work means preparing and reviewing lectures, researching in libraries, preparing presentations, and writing assignments (even during lecture-free periods). Organization requires, for instance, adhering to submission deadlines for presentations and assignments. During the practical Studium (university study) sections, practical collaboration under guidance involves, for example, processing budget, treasury, organizational, and personnel matters. Practice-oriented courses deepen specialized knowledge. Key qualifications include, for example, expanding problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

The exemplary monthly gross basic salary for a candidate civil servant is approximately 1,549 €. Source: Landesbesoldungsgesetze (State Salary Laws). Note: In addition to the basic salary, candidate civil servant salaries include capital-forming benefits, and possibly family allowances and other allowances, remunerations, and surcharges.

In-depth knowledge in the following school subjects are good prerequisites for a successful Studium (university study): Economics, as the Studium (university study) has a high proportion of legal and business administration content. German, for example, to prepare presentations. Pedagogy/Psychology, for example, for dealing with offenders.

The following alternatives are available for the profession of civil servant in the higher-grade correctional service: Protection and Security sector: Police officer in the Bundespolizei (Federal Police) (higher-grade non-technical service), police officer in the higher-grade non-technical service of the Bundesländer (federal states), civil servant in the Verfassungsschutz (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution) (higher-grade service). Commonality: Developing and implementing crime prevention measures. Law and Administration sector: Civil servant in the higher-grade non-technical customs service, legal clerk, assistant public prosecutor, bailiff (higher-grade service), civil servant in General Internal Administration (higher-grade non-technical service), Administrative Management, Public Management (undergraduate). Commonality: Processing administrative procedures. Health and Social Management sector: Social Work (undergraduate), Social Management (undergraduate). Commonality: Designing and implementing resocialization measures.

The Ausbildung (vocational training) in the higher judicial enforcement service takes place as a 3-year Vorbereitungsdienst (preparatory service) or Diplomstudium (diploma study). It is regulated by the ordinances of the Bundesländer (federal states) and concludes with a Laufbahnprüfung (career examination).

The Studium (study) is legally regulated in the mentioned Bundesländer (federal states) and leads to the following Abschluss-/Berufsbezeichnungen (degree/professional titles): Bavaria, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia: Diplom-Verwaltungswirt/Diplom-Verwaltungswirtin (FH). The career path is also established in the following Bundesland (federal state), where no Abschluss-/Berufsbezeichnung (degree/professional title) exists: Baden-Württemberg. Note: Baden-Württemberg does not train its own Beamter (civil servants) in the higher administrative judicial enforcement service. Instead, Rechtspfleger/innen (legal clerks) acquire the qualification for this career path there. Laufbahnbezeichnungen (career titles): Beamter/Beamtin - Justizvollzugsdienst (gehobener Dienst), Beamter/Beamtin - Justizvollzugsdienst (drittes Einstiegsamt), Beamter/Beamtin - Justizvollzugs- und Verwaltungsdienst (Laufbahngruppe 2, erstes Einstiegsamt), Beamter/Beamtin - Justizvollzugs- und Verwaltungsdienst (Lauf).

After their Studium (studies), Beamter (civil servants) in the higher judicial enforcement service primarily work in Justizvollzugsanstalten (correctional facilities). Through Anpassungsweiterbildung (adaptive further training), one keeps their specialized knowledge current or brings it up to date. The range of topics extends from guard and security services to finance and accounting. With appropriate aptitude, Beamter (civil servants) in the higher judicial enforcement service have the opportunity to move to the next higher career path after a successful Aufstiegsverfahren (promotion procedure). Further Studium (studies) can also be considered. For example, acquiring a Master's degree in Social Management is a natural progression.

The Studium (study) for civil servant careers is regulated by the Bundesländer (federal states) in their own ordinances. The respective provisions may differ from each other. Ordinance of the Ministry of Justice on the establishment of careers (Laufbahnverordnung-Justizministerium - LVO-JuM) of 05.11.2014 (BW.GBl. S. 614), amended by Article 1 of the ordinance of 03.04.2023 (BW.GBl. S. 152). Ordinance on specialized areas in the Justice career path (Fachverordnung Justiz - FachV-J) of 08.09.2014 (Bay.GVBl. S. 417), last amended by ordinance of 30.10.2025 (Bay.GVBl. S. 585). Ordinance on the Ausbildung (training) and examination for the career of higher enforcement and administrative service at correctional facilities in the state of Brandenburg (Ausbildungs- und Prüfungsverordnung gehobener Vollzugs- und Verwaltungsdienst - APOgVVD) of 22.08.2019 (Bra.GVBl.II Nr. 64). Bremen Ordinance on the Ausbildung (training) and examination for career group 2, first entry level in the Justice field for the Verwe.

The prerequisite is the Fachhochschulreife (university of applied sciences entrance qualification) or the allgemeine Hochschulreife (general university entrance qualification) or a comparable Bildungsabschluss (educational qualification).