New Youth Detention Center Opens in Simmering

Vienna-Simmering launches the Auszeit-WG for young offenders, though District Chairman Thomas Steinhart claims he was not pre-informed.

The commissioning of the Auszeit-WG in Vienna-Simmering was announced on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, by City Councilor and Vice Mayor Bettina Emmerling (NEOS). The facility, which costs nearly one million euros annually, is designed for intensive offenders below the age of criminal responsibility and allows for a maximum stay of twelve weeks. A 13-year-old child moved into the closed residential group approximately one week before the official announcement. SPÖ District Chairman Thomas Steinhart stated he learned of the facility through the media and has since requested an official security concept and increased police personnel. Managed by MA 11, the facility features shatterproof windows, doors, and an alarm system implemented on police advice. Staff are trained in de-escalation, self-defense, and holding techniques, while a security guard with social work experience remains on-site.