[A critical review of applied criminology].

By reporting on a recent decision of the Regional Court (LG) of Marburg (Germany) calling attention to applied criminology, a concept still insufficiently considered in the administration of criminal justice, the paper argues that professional action in the execution of the sentence represents nothing else but applied criminology. Based on this assumption, the paper discusses practical diagnosis and correctional planning. Beyond that, the paper deals with the future of criminology. In the opinion of the author an important aspect for the future of criminology will be if it will be able to remain in touch with the world in which we live, as an independent empirical science. Applied criminology and its methodology constitute the link between science and practice.