Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) wants fewer people to be imprisoned for unpaid fines.
"Above all, those who are also sentenced to imprisonment should be in prison," he told the "Tagesspiegel am Sonntag".
According to statistics, however, it is often different: ten percent of people in German prisons are serving a so-called substitute imprisonment because they have not paid a fine imposed by the court.
The enforcement of alternative prison sentences should be avoided in practice, said Buschmann.
"But the federal states have already taken action and there is a lively exchange," he emphasized.
"According to the coalition agreement, we also want to check whether we can also contribute something under federal law in order to achieve fewer enforcements."
Easier access to public defenders
According to the report, the traffic light also wants to ensure that poor people get a public defender earlier.
An application must be submitted for this.
"As a result, this right is often not used, or only later," said Buschmann.
It is very important to be competently represented as early as the preliminary investigation phase.
The Minister of Justice is also examining a decriminalization of fare evasion.
"As a coalition, we want to take on the penal code and examine: Which criminal offenses no longer fit in with the times?"
The Minister of Justice condemns violence during demonstrations, regardless of their direction.
"Violent protest is anti-democratic - and therefore rightly taboo," he told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
There is no differentiation based on worldview.
"Our rule of law enforces the principle of peacefulness towards all assemblies, no matter how valuable or urgent their concern is."
Buschmann said there are no second-class gatherings: protests against corona measures are just as protected as demonstrations for more climate protection.
"Shrill gatherings are no less legitimate than silent human chains."