By their own definition, they appreciate the literary skill and original content that give the genre a new impetus.
The best new releases of German crime fiction are awarded prizes numbered 1 through 3.
However, in 2003, the award was presented publicly as part of the Munich Crime Festival for the first time.
In 2004, a public ceremony was held on the occasion of the festival Murder on the Hellweg in Unna.
In the subsequent years there was a return to the initial procedure of not holding a public ceremony; instead, the winners were made known only via an announcement.