Finnish and Chinese probation services continue to cooperate to improve community sanctions

Finland and China, two completely different countries, with different cultures and criminal justice systems. Despite all these differences, the cooperation between their probation services goes back 22 years. The Finnish Criminal Sanctions Agency was one of the first European probation organisations that started working together with the Chinese probation service. After all those years, the connection between them is still very strong. The Finnish and Chinese probation services recently started a four year project for the improvement of community sanctions in the countries.

Read more >>

Probation Service Georgia brings offenders in contact with family members via video conference service

It is important for inmates to maintain contact with family members, but if an inmate is placed in a prison on the other side of the country, it can be too expensive for the family members to visit them. The National Probation Service Georgia found the solution for this problem. Together with the prison departement, they set up a video conference service for prisoners. Since 2011, inmates can video call with friends, family members or relatives, if they are not in the position to visit them in person. Irakli Chitanava, Deputy Head of the National Probation Service, explains how the system works.

Read more>>

EU’s cross-border instruments on criminal detention could improve social rehabilitation and more

The 2002 European Arrest Warrant is relatively well-known in the EU, this is much less the case for the three somewhat similar instruments adopted in 2008–2009 (see Criminal detention and alternatives): the Framework Decisions on transfer of prisoners (2008/909), probation and alternative measures (2008/947) and the so-called European Supervision Order (2009/829), that all were to have been implemented by late 2012. Actually it took several more years to implement them, and the actual application to date has not been that significant, even though the usage is increasing. There are several reasons for the slow implementation and low usage but rather than focusing on these, the listed four points on potential gains will briefly be explored.

Read more>>

A portrait of a small probation organisation: Service Central d’Assistance Sociale Luxemburg

Every probation organisation in Europe is different from the other, although most of them have a lot of similarities. There are some that are different from all the others. I’m talking about the smallest member organisations of the CEP. In this special series of articles, you can read about what makes them special, how they function, about the positives of working in a small organisation and about the difficulties that are sometimes faced. In this edition we take a look at Service Central d’Assistance Sociale Luxemburg. Probation Officer Claude Kettel tells us about the organisation.

Read more >>

Innovation in probation: a pilot on the feasibility of e-guidance for juveniles

​To change criminal behaviour, motivation, time, attention, practice and feedback are the ingredients for success. Especially youngsters can find it difficult to change their behaviour. Many regions in their brain are still developing, meaning they have less cognitive control than adults when it comes to attention, thoughts and behaviour. Mayke Mol and Janine Plaisier, (GGZinGeest & Impact R&D) have conducted a pilot for an innovative automated and personalised computer system that probation officers can use to remind youngsters of their goals and give them exercises. We spoke to Mayke Mol about how they conducted the pilot.

Read more >>

Follow us!

Do you always want to be the first one to see our latest news updates? Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

Visit our website:
www.cep-probation.org

Contact us?
Postbus 8215
NL-3503 RE, Utrecht, The Netherlands
communication@cep-probation.org

 
If you don't want to receive this newsletter, please reply to communication@cep-probation.org