Research for this book was supported by grants in 1987 and 1989
from the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), with funds
provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the United
States Information Agency. Partial funding for the research was provided
by the American Philosophical Society in 1989 and a Fulbright-Hays
Training Grant (#12200-Fll0) in 1987. None of these organizations is
responsible for the views expressed.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank acquaintances and
friends in the GDR who not only patiently helped me to comprehend
the goals and dynamics of the GDR but did so graciously and with humor.

Some of the statements in the following discussion reflect a positive
view of certain aspects of the GDR criminal justice system. Obviously,
this opens the door to doubt about the objectivity of the author, perhaps
even suspicion that she was hoodwinked by clever socialists or brain-
washed into positive evaluation of the criminal justice system and that
she is bent on proselytizing. In my opinion, none of the above is true.
On the basis of available information, I have tried to analyze and write
as objectively as possible. If false information or interpretations have
been included in the process, then I apologize to the readers of this book
and to the people in the GDR.

Some may find that the book is not sufficiently normative. It was not
intended to be a polemic; rather, my approach is one of skepticism, as
in any research project. It would be just as unrealistic to denigrate the
policies and their implementation in the GDR merely because of its
socialist orientation as it would be to extol all aspects of the United
States because it is a capitalist country. Rather, one must keep an open
mind to evaluate the system as dispassionately as possible and report its
operation as realistically as possible.

-xviii-