Lost your Password?
Click Here
Don't have an account?
Register Here
Welcome to the EuroPris Knowledge Management System. The table below shows questions and responses from European National Agencies. Select a question for more information or use the filters on the left to narrow down questions based on Agency or Category.
Want to ask a question? Please read our guidance information found here: Submitting a KMS Question
← Back Search KMSThis content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
Introduction:
An example of best practices is the program Cat Cercles: Circles program of support and responsibility is addressed to inmates serving a prison sentence for crimes against sexual freedom. A Circle of Support and Responsibility is a program for social integration and prevent recidivism of sexual offenders in open prison and conditional release. The objective of the program, launched with the cooperation of the Department of Justice and third sector organizations (NGO’s), to provide support and supervision for social integration and prevent recidivism of offenders who are high risk during the final fulfillment of the sentence and have shown willingness to change, but do not have a social support network. One of the most important elements of the program is the participation of volunteers who provide a responsible support to inmates and will have the constant coordination and guidance of a professional. Thus this intervention of professionalized institutions together with the Community initiative are integrated with the purpose of the social integration of people who have spent a long time in prison and to prevent relapse when reaching freedom.
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?Open regime is characterized by promoting the interaction of inmates with his community and environment, developing those skills and learning that facilitate reintegration as positive as possible, under the direction, guidance, supervision and support of professionals in the field of criminal sanctions, being parole the last objective, promoting the process of social reintegration and preventing their recidivism.
Throughcare Support for Short Term Offenders The policy of Throughcare for short term prisoners stemmed from the Community Reintegration Project and the Scottish Prison Service Organisational Review published in 2013. The Community Reintegration Project (CRP) launched in March 2012 aimed to increase the provision and take-up of Throughcare services for offenders serving short prison sentences in Scotland. The Organisational Review advocated a consistent and evidence-based approach to Community Reintegration Planning that supports prisoners to lead positive lives on release and to reintegrate as positive citizens. It is with this ethos that Throughcare was developed. The main aim of SPS Throughcare Support is for Throughcare Support Officers (TSOs) to support short term prisoners on their desistance journey by working with them to prepare for and make the successful transition from custody to community. Participation in Throughcare for each service user is voluntary. To participate in Throughcare, potential service users must be serving a short term sentence (less than four years) and have no statutory conditions placed on them. TSOs work collaboratively with the service user, families, colleagues and partners to develop an asset based individualised plan. TSOs advocate on behalf of service users with partner agencies and encourage motivation to change through sustained engagement with key services. The premise of this approach is that it builds self-efficacy and is at the heart of unlocking the potential and transforming the lives of those in SPS care. The TSO role is an operational position, which requires officers to work in both a custodial and community setting and with service users who are approaching or have recently been released. TSOs engage with SPS partners, external agencies and with other relevant organisations to assist people in (i) accessing any necessary service provision, (ii) establishing/re-establishing prosocial relationships and (iii) influencing and motivating change. Partners include the service user’s family, NHS, DWP, Local Authority Housing, Employment Services and Addiction Support Services. There are currently 41 TSOs each of whom may carry a caseload of up to 15 service users at any one time. Service users may be self-referred or referred by others. Common referral modes include the initial prison induction process, Personal Officers, Links Centre, partner agencies, families, or by TSOs themselves. TSOs will usually make their first contact with a service user 6 weeks prior to liberation and work continues with the individual for up to 12 weeks post-release.
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?Community Placements and The Open Estate There are a wide range of community placements undertaken by prisoners who have achieved a suitable level of supervision category. Community placement programmes for prisoners are operated in long term prisons and in national top-end facilities for long term prisoners approaching the end of their sentences, but not yet deemed suitable for fully open conditions. Eligibility for these schemes is determined in part by supervision/security category, and by the likely perceived benefit to the prisoner concerned. There are also considerations in relation to the nature of the prisoner’s offence, and hence their suitability for individual placements. Community placement is now an integral part of the integrated case management system, and is used by the Parole Board as evidence of suitability for release in the case of very long sentence and life sentence prisoners. In practical terms, there is little real difference between the community placement schemes in closed prison and the Open Estate with the exception that, as the closed prisons are located in areas of higher employment, placements may be perceived to be easier to find and to sustain, The main criminal justice objectives of the Scottish Government relate to making Scotland safer overall through addressing crime and the fear of crime, and within this, SPS has a number of clear roles, including the need to maintain prisoners in secure custody, but also the need to prepare prisoners for release. SPS also had a clear role to play in the overall social inclusion agenda of the Scottish Government. The approach of SPS is predicated on the assumption that virtually all prisoners will, in time, be released back into society, and that it has, therefore, a duty to provide opportunities for prisoners to address offending behaviour while within a prison setting, and hence minimise the likelihood of re-offending on release. The Open Estate represents the final stage in that process, with a focus almost entirely on preparing prisoners for release. The role of the Open Estate has evolved over an extended period. There is currently one Open prison in Scotland, Castle Huntly, near Dundee, which can hold 285 prisoners nearing the end of their sentence. The basis of eligibility for transfer to the Open Estate (within the overall approach to sentence management) relates to proportion of sentence served, the supervision level of the prisoner concerned and the ability to meet a number of public safety criteria. Although the Open Estate has a pivotal role to play in terms of preparation for release, only a small fraction of the prisoners liberated by SPS each year are released from Castle Huntly. One of the key principles underpinning the operation of prisons in Scotland is progression – the means by which prisoners can move through the system, from more to less secure accommodation. By far the majority of prisoners are released from closed conditions. For this reason, there is also a considerable amount of resettlement work undertaken in closed prisons. Prisoners are considered for progression in accordance with the SPS Management Rules and all progression cases are considered by the Risk Management Team. The Prisoner Supervision System 'Management Rule' defines the minimum period of their sentence that each prisoner must serve in a secure establishment before being eligible for consideration for progression to less secure conditions If the prisoner meets the standard criteria for progression, the following information is considered: • Home Background Report • Intelligence Report • Information relating to any proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 via the Crown Office • Confirmation of Immigration status and whether or not the UKBA is minded to deport the prisoner at the end of sentence (for foreign national prisoners); • Notification sent to MAPPA confirming that SPS is considering a prisoner for progression to less secure conditions (for offenders subject to notification under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2003.
Preparing a prisoner for the release commences upon his/her arrival in the penitentiary/prison for enforcement of prison sentence. Penitentiary and prison have to do everything possible in order to make the life of prisoner serving their prison sentence as similar to actual general life conditions as possible, and have to design appropriate programs of enforcement of prison sentence in order to help the prisoners to develop sense of responsibility. The prisoners are encouraged to maintain relations with the family, to contact the government bodies, institutions and associations and the persons engaging in the inclusion of the prisoners into life outside of the institution. No later than three months prior to the release, the penitentiary or prison has to include the prisoner into individual or group advisory work related to the preparing of the prisoners for release. During the advisory work, the prisoners are informed of their rights and obligations which they have after the prison sentence. They are informed about the rights that can be achieved at the Centres for Social Welfare, advised to engage in job search (if they are unemployed), and are encouraged to be responsible and to avoid criminal behaviour. At the request of the penitentiary or prison, Probation Office will perform tasks of preparing of acceptance of persons after release. Furthermore, the penitentiary or prison have to inform the Ministry of Justice, Department for Support to Victims and Witnesses, which in turn has to inform the victims, the injured or their families before the release of prisoners who were serving prison sentence because the deeds against sexual freedom and sexual morality, against life and limb with elements of violence. After release, a person may contact the enforcement judge in order to get help and support. The enforcement judge cooperates with Centres for Social Welfare, and is authorized to issue the written order for the implementation of the necessary measures.
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?Prisons are all closed and penitentiaries can be closed, semi-open and open. No matter its basic level of security, each institution can also have closed, semi-open or open wards. Closed conditions have wall and/or wired fence, grids, cameras, higher number of custodial officers - judiciary police officers (ratio of about one officer per two prisoners), little freedom of movement, a lot of supervision, etc. Semi-open conditions are usually bordered only by simple fence, have large areas where a lot of different activities can take place (agricultural areas, different workshops, premises and areas for sport activities etc). Prisoners can move inside institution with a little supervision and can achieve bigger range of different benefits, such as home-leaves. Number of custodial officers is smaller than in closed conditions. Open conditions are even more loosened then semi-open in a sense of security and freedom of movement, but in all other characteristics are more or less the same. Biggest difference is that in open penitentiary there are no custodial officers at all. In open conditions/regime prisoner can have maximum of 120 hours of home leaves during one month (+24 hours if there is a public holiday during that month). He/she can also have leaves with a visitor to a town four times in a month lasting each time up to eight hours (+ up to eight hours on public holidays). One home leave can't last longer than 12 hours and prisoner can't use leaves more time in a month than total number of Sundays and public holidays during that month (this concerns all regimes). In semi-open conditions/regime prisoner can have maximum of 96 hours of home leaves during one month (+24 hours if there is a public holiday during that month). He/she can also have leaves with a visitor to a town three times in a month lasting each time up to eight hours (+ up to eight hours on public holidays). In closed conditions/regime prisoner can have maximum of 48 hours of home leaves during one month (+24 hours if there is a public holiday during that month). He/she can also have leave with a visitor to a town once a month lasting up to eight hours (+ up to eight hours on public holidays). Prisoner can be sent directly to open or semi-open regime (depending on the length of the sentence and risk assessment) or relocated to more loosened regime at the end of his/her sentence, but it is not automatic procedure. Not all prisoners are relocated into milder regime at the end of the sentence. It depends on his level of risk and his results in achieving his/her individual program of enforcement of the sentence. Prison director is obliged to consider possibility of such transfer after prisoner has served half of his/her sentence and after that each 6 months.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
The Norwegian Correctional Service’s social mission is to enforce remand orders and sentences in a manner that reassures society and attempts to prevent recidivism. Our job is to motivate offenders change their criminal behaviour through their own efforts. The notion of reintegration is present throughout the Correctional Service, and our highly qualified prison officers, workshop overseers, reintegration coordinators etc. therefore play an important part in the reintegration process. Below you find a description of some of the principles which are especially important in trying to achieve this goal. Principle of normality in Norwegian corrections The punishment is the restriction of liberty; no other rights have been removed by the sentencing court. Therefore the sentenced offender has all the same rights as all other who live in Norway. No-one shall serve their sentence under stricter circumstances than necessary for the security in the community. Therefore offenders shall be placed in the lowest possible security regime. During the serving of a sentence, life inside will resemble life outside as much as possible. The possibility to implement the principle of normality fully is of course limited by reasons of security, order in the institution and personnel, infrastructural and financial resources. Yet the basic principle is there, and deviation from it will need to be based on argumentation. You need a reason to deny a sentenced offender his rights, not to grant them. Progression towards reintegration In accordance with the principle of normality, progression through a sentence should be aimed as much as possible at returning to the community. The more closed a system is, the harder it will be to return to freedom. Therefore one will proceed towards release gradually from high security prisons to lower security prisons and possible through halfway houses. Release on probation is stimulated and the Correctional Service will use their discretionary powers to arrange for a process where serving the sentence is adjusted to individual risks, needs and resources. Discretionary powers concerning the contents of the sentence The Correctional Service has the possibility to implement a sentence by the court in various ways, and to provide it with various forms of contents. An unconditional imprisonment may be implemented by placement in various types of security levels. In addition, there is a possibility to serve one’s sentence wholly or partially in a treatment or special care institution when the prison system is unable to deal with the specific type of problems the offender presents, for example with serious addiction. Up to half of an unconditional prison sentence may be served at home under certain conditions. A full sentence of up to four months unconditional imprisonment may be changed by the Correctional Service to home detention with electronic monitoring by means of an ankle bracelet. The offender must be active during daytime – through school, work, etc. – and at home at given times. Being at home while one should be out is considered a breach of conditions and may lead to (re-)imprisonment. Home detention with electronic monitoring is also possible as a substitute for the last four months of a longer sentence. It is possible to be released on parole after having served two-thirds of the sentence and a minimum of 60 days. One will need to report to the probation office at regular times, refrain from the use of alcohol and comply to any other specific conditions that have been imposed. The prisoner himself will have to apply for the various forms of serving a sentence. The Correctional Service can then grant or deny the application based on specified arguments. Import model Crucial services for reintegration are delivered to the prison by local and municipal service providers. Prisons do not have their own staff delivering medical, educational, employment, clerical or library services. These are imported from the community. The advantages are: • A better continuity in the deliverance of services – the offender will already have established contact during his time in prison • Involvement from the community with the prison system – more and better cross-connections and an improvement of the image of prison and prisoners The services in questions are financed by other bodies as they are part of the rights of any inhabitant of Norway.
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?As noted in question 1, an inmate will normally proceed towards release gradually from high security prisons to lower security prisons and possible through halfway houses. Length of sentence and allocation criteria Committal to prison is regulated through section 11 of the Execution of Sentences Act. It reads: § 11. Committal to prison The Correctional Service shall commit convicted persons directly to prisons with a high security level unless it is otherwise provided pursuant to this Act. Convicted persons should as far as is practically possible and appropriate be committed to a prison in the vicinity of their home district. If special security reasons make it necessary, convicted persons may be committed to a department with an especially high security level pursuant to section 10, second paragraph. The Correctional Service shall consider whether a convicted person may be committed directly to a prison with a lower security level if he or she is sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. No decision to make such a committal shall be taken if the purpose of the sentence or security reasons contraindicate it, or there is reason to assume that the convicted person will evade the execution. In special cases a convicted person may be committed directly to a prison with a lower security level when he or she is sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding two years. Transfer to a less restrictive prison is regulated through section 15 of the Execution of Sentences Act. It reads: § 15. Transfer to a less restrictive prison Prisoners in a department that has an especially high level of security, or that is suitably organized for prisoners with special needs, may be transferred to a prison with a high level of security if security reasons do not contraindicate this and there is no reason to assume that the prisoners will evade execution. The same applies to persons whom, pursuant to section 5-6 of the Mental Health Protection Act, it is decided to transfer to an institution under the Correctional Service if they consent thereto. The Correctional Service shall consider whether prisoners in a department that has an especially high level of security may be transferred to a prison with a high level of security at intervals of not more than six months. Prisoners may, after having served part of their sentence, be transferred from a prison with a high security level to a prison with a lower security level. Prisoners shall not be transferred if the purpose of the sentence or security reasons contraindicate this, or there is reason to assume that the prisoners will evade the execution. The Correctional Service shall consider transfer to a prison with a lower security level when a year remains before the prisoners may be released on probation. Prisoners may be transferred from a prison with a high or lower level of security to a prison/halfway house when part of the sentence has been executed. Prisoners shall not be transferred if the purpose of the sentence or security reasons contraindicates this, or there is reason to assume that the prisoners will evade the execution. The transfer must be an appropriate means of promoting a positive development and of counteracting new criminality. Degree of freedom of movement, particularly infrastructure etc. The security measures in an open prison will be less stringent than in a high security prison. Open prisons have for example limited (or no) perimeter fencing and inmates are not locked in their cells during the night. There is emphasis on giving inmates the possibility to have contact with "the outside world". This includes widened access to leave the prison, for example for going to work outside the prison or to have appointments with doctors or governmental bodies.
The task of criminal punishment execution is to execute criminal punishment in accordance with the fundamental principles of executing criminal punishments laid down in The Sentence Execution Code of Latvia, applying the resocialization measures laid down in The Sentence Execution Code of Latvia to a convicted person, as well as to achieve that the convicted person and other persons abide laws and refrain from committing criminal offences. The purpose of the execution of punishment is to apply all the provisions of the execution of a punishment laid down in The Sentence Execution Code of Latvia to the convicted person, thereby ensuring the resocialisation of the person and his or her lawful behaviour after execution of the punishment. The process of resocialisation of convicted persons sentenced with deprivation of liberty (hereinafter – resocialisation of convicted persons) is an aggregate of social behaviour correction and social rehabilitation measures aimed at promoting lawful behaviour of the convicted person and forming his or her understanding of socially positive values. Correction of the social behaviour of convicted persons sentenced with deprivation of liberty (hereinafter – correction of the social behaviour of convicted persons) is an aggregate of measures implemented within the scope of execution of the deprivation of liberty punishment in order to promote lawful behaviour of the convicted person and to prevent the causes of unlawful behaviour. Social rehabilitation of convicted persons sentenced with deprivation of liberty (hereinafter – social rehabilitation of convicted persons) is an aggregate of measures implemented within the scope of execution of the deprivation of liberty punishment so that the convicted person would maintain or acquire social skills, vocational or general knowledge and skills. The social rehabilitation of convicted persons stipulated in The Sentence Execution Code of Latvia shall not involve providing of the social services and social assistance laid down in laws and regulations. Social rehabilitation means of convicted persons are: 1) education – involving of a convicted person in general, vocational and interest educational programmes; 2) involving of convicted persons, as determined by The Sentence Execution Code of Latvia, in the performance of socially useful work (work of convicted persons in the facility management of deprivation of liberty institutions, work places created by a merchant at the deprivation of liberty institution or outside it depending on the sentence serving regime imposed on the convicted person, employment without remuneration laid down in the law); 3) solving of the social problems of the convicted person taking into the consequences of imprisonment (improvement, renewal and ensuring of acquisition of social skills by a convicted person, provision of information regarding the possibilities of receiving social services and social assistance after release from the deprivation of liberty institution, taking care of personal identification documents); 4) psychological care – psychological study of the convicted person, psychological consultation, as well as provision of psychological assistance in a crisis situation at the deprivation of liberty institution; 5) organisation of free time activities – involvement of the convicted person in cultural, informative, art, amateur and sports events. Education is one of the means of social rehabilitation of convicted persons and it is one of the components for resocialization of convicted person. Training of convicted persons for the acquisition of general and vocational education shall be organised in accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws and regulations governing the acquisition of general and vocational education. Training shall be ensured within the scope of resocialisation at the deprivation of liberty institution in order to ensure that convicted young persons may acquire general education. General education of convicted persons sentenced with deprivation of liberty shall be stimulated and taken into account when determining their resocialisation level. Acquisition of vocational basic education shall be organised in the deprivation of liberty institution within the scope of resocialisation so that convicted persons may work while being in the deprivation of liberty institution and after being released from serving of the sentence. Convicted first and second group disabled persons shall be involved in obtaining vocational education in accordance with their wishes. Cabinet of Ministers regulations No. 191 of 12 April 2013 “Implementation of resocialisation for convicted persons” regulates the implementation of education programmes in place of imprisonment. Education of convicted persons are based on these principles: 1) Principle of availability: For all the inmates there is needed to provide availability to education, which contains of general education, professional education, creative and cultural activities, physical activities, social education and also provide access to information in the library and allow to use information and communication technologies. 2) Principle of accordance: Quality and possibility of education in the place of imprisonment must conform to the same age groups as education outside the place of imprisonment. Choice of courses for the convicted persons must be as extensive as possible. 3) Principle of integration: Education of convicted persons is organized in the institutional frame of general and professional education that exists in the country. 4) Principle of development: Education of convicted persons must be developing. Its task is to develop personality, considering social, economic, cultural and development specialities and needs of a person. 5) Principle of continuity: Education that is provided in the place of imprisonment must ensure opportunity for convicted person to continue his/her education in other place of imprisonment and to integrate in the common education system of the country after the release. 6) Principle of resocialization: Education is one of the main elements for resocialization process of convicted person. 7) Principle of module education: Education of convicted persons is organized after principle of module education, which conforms to specifics of place on imprisonment. It also conforms to educational level and development of learners. 8) Principle of inter-institutional cooperation: In development of program of implementation of guidelines equally participates Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education and Science and municipalities. In the first half of the year 2015 in places of imprisonment there were implemented following education programs: - Programs of general education (in 9 places of imprisonment); - Programs of professional education (in 9 places of imprisonment); - Programs of interest education (in 8 places of imprisonment). A convicted person shall be employed for remuneration, if he or she has lodged a written submission to the head of the deprivation of liberty institution and the convicted person may be employed in the deprivation of liberty institution or outside it. Convicted persons shall be employed for remuneration: 1) in the facility management of the deprivation of liberty institution; 2) at work places created by merchants in the deprivation of liberty institution; 3) outside the deprivation of liberty institution if permitted by the sentence serving regime imposed on the convicted person. In places of imprisonment convicted persons are employed for remuneration in economic crew of place of imprisonment and in workplaces created by merchants. Convicted persons, that are serving their sentence in open prison, are employed in establishments outside the place of imprisonment. Cabinet of Ministers regulations No. 63 of 17 January 2012 “Order, in which convicted persons are employed for remuneration” states that convicted person, who wants to be employed in place of imprisonment, submits written application to head of place of imprisonment, where he/she indicates optional type of job and information about his/her education, work experience and skills. If several convicted persons apply for the same work place, preference shall be given to the applicant with the relevant education, work experience or skills. If several convicted persons with the same education, work experience and skills apply for the same work place, preference shall be given to the applicant whose submission for employment in the deprivation of liberty institution was registered first. Considering everything mentioned before, administration of place of imprisonment recruits convicted persons, if there is a vacancy. Options to work are limited for convicted persons depending on situation in the country. The Sentence Execution Code of Latvia doesn’t intend to provide convicted persons with a job. The aim of convicted persons’ employment isn’t to gain earnings or to provide a living. Its aim is whole of measures, which is implementend during serving the sentence, to help convicted persons to maintain or acquire professional knowledge and skills. Its aim is not to gain profit or to provide livelihood. Before the release convicted person’s personality is examined. It is necessary to plan and implement measures, which aim is to promote: 1) dzīvei nepieciešamo materiālo priekšnoteikumu nodrošināšanu, kam var būt nozīme, nosakot atbrīvotās personas turpmāko uzvedību; 2) ability of released person and psychological readiness to observe the law and to work in society, improve his/her quality of life. When planning and implementing resocialization measures of convicted person, there are following tasks set: 1) to examine convicted person’s personality – every convicted person is invited to individual interview to identify needs, social problems, characteristics and model of behavior of convicted person; 2) to develop individual plan of sentence execution plan for each convicted person. In sentence execution plan there are defined appropriate means of social behavior correction and social rehabilitation and other measures; 3) to identify system of social recourses (various types of means that can provide social functioning (for example, family, church, program, service) and to involve them in solving the problems and needs of the convicted person. 4) To help convicted person to adapt (in place of imprisonment) environment and to give him/her all the necessary information and psychosocial help in the time of serving the sentence; 5) To motivate convicted persons to get involved in activities of place of imprisonment (education, employment, events organized by chaplain, free time activities). Officials of place of imprisonment focuses on convicted persons with addiction. Addicted inmates are especially motivated to participate in resocialization measures. Finding an individual approach to each convict, deprivation of liberty places shall cooperate with social services and social assistance provider institutions, charity organizations, state and municipality institutions. Preparing convicts for release, special attention is paid to the factors which are related to the convicted person's basic needs right after the release. Administration efforts are focused on ensuring that the released person would not supplement the homeless and jobless queues. In case of necessity, administration of the place of imprisonment in the day of release provides convicts with the fare to the place of residence and season appropriate clothing and footwear. General order release are prepared also detainees a criminal case heard in court of appeal or cassation appointed after completion of the sentence. Special attention is paid to issues related to juvenile convicts’ preparation for release. These issues are examined in educational and correctional council of juvenile correctional institution. Laws and regulations set out the following activities, which are made by preparing convicts for release: 1. Informing the state police on persons, who are released after the enforcement of the sentence or be released conditionally, but for which a court ruling set an additional sentence - police control and a request to verify the person’s possible or declared place of residence. 2. Ensured request sending to State Probation Service to the territorial unit with a request to prepare a written assessment of the convict's readiness to integrate into the community after conditional release; 3. A notice to a municipality for those convicted persons, who need residential area after their release; 4. places of imprisonment finds out information about person’s social situation and inform social services of municipalities about necessary social help or social services for person, who is going to be released; 5. Informing family courts, social services and legal representatives about the releasable sentence serving juveniles. Administration of place of imprisonment before convicted person is released, after the full judgment of the Court fixed the sentence has been served, sends information about convicted person to family court. Information is sent about those convicted persons, who serves their sentence for intentional violent offenses or offenses against sexual morals. Therefore social workers are doing individual and group work with inmates, are compiling risk and needs appraisal for convicted person, are managing resocialization programs, are organizing and implementing group sessions for convicted persons before release and in relation to mitigating punishment. In collaboration with senior inspectors, in whose units are convicted persons, there are learning groups recruited. They are participating in organization of free time activities for inmates. Individual work with clients has been done based on applications. In individual consultations inmates are being informed by social workers. Social workers also are helping convicted persons to settle official fomalities and to receive documents (forming age pension and invalidity pension, receiving duplicate of payroll tax certificate, receiving certificates of work experience, order of receiving legacy, forming pasport, personal identity number and other questions). Social workers are participating in work of Resocialization department of place of imprisonment, they also are collaborating with State police, archives, social services of municipalities, night shelters, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, State social insurance agency. It is important to mention that there is risk and needs appraisal formed for those convicted persons, who are serving their sentence. Within two months after placing a convicted person in a deprivation of liberty institution in order to commence the serving of the sentence the head of the institution shall ensure an assessment of the risks and needs of the convicted person, determining: 1) the resocialisation needs of the convicted person, the degree of risk of anti-social behaviour and committing a repeated criminal offence in the deprivation of liberty institution; 2) the most appropriate social behaviour correction or social rehabilitation measures and other measures to be implemented during execution of the sentence and to be included in the resocialisation plan of the convicted person. A re-assessment of the risks and needs of the convicted person shall be performed not less than once a year throughout the term of serving the sentence. The resocialisation plan of the convicted person shall be amended according to the results of the assessment of the risks and needs. Cabinet of Ministers regulations No. 191 of 9 April 2013 „Order of implementing resocialization of convicted person” states that resocialization of the inmate is started with forming his/her risk and needs appraisal. Order of implementing resocialization determines that risk and needs appraisal of convicted person is formed by officials and workers of place of imprisonment. The results are written in the form in accordance with methodics accepted by director general of Latvian Prison Administration. Risk and needs appraisal of convicted person contains of three main parts. The first part is filled out by official of Resocialization department, including motives and circumstances of offence, history of criminal activity, convicted person’s behavior in place of imprisonment, general information about penalty deadline. The second part is filled out by social worker of place of imprisonment, including information about residence, education, work experience, incomes and planning of finances, relationship status, health status (including invalidity, trauma), motivation to participate in resocialization events. The third part is filled out by psychologist of place of imprisonment, including information about social relationships and lifestyle, addiction, mistakes of thinking and antisocial behavior, motivation to participate in resocialization events. In the time of appraisal obtained results are gathered in table of standings, where are determined degree of convicted person’s anti-social behavior and risk of repeated offence, also resocialization needs. Psycological care is implemented in all places of imprisonment of Latvia. According to job description workers of place of imprisonment, who are officiating duties of psychologist, are doing: • Individual consultations with inmates and staff of place of imprisonment (length of one session is 45-60 minutes); • consultations in situations of crisis (crisis intervention, for example, in case of suicidal behavior); • Psychodiagnostic measures to research social, emotional and intellectual sphere of inmates; • Forming psychological appraisal, gathering un analyzing psychodiagnostic results; • Managing resocialization programs (social behavior correction program and social rehabilitation program); • Executing risk and needs appraisal for convicted person. Psycologists and officials, who are officiating duties of psychologist, of place of imprisonment were participating in implementation of resocialization programs and group classes, they also were giving educational lectures for convicted persons. Organization of free time activities for convicted persons is happening in accordance with clause 8 of Sentence Execution Code of Latvia and requirments determinated in Resocialization conception. The law determines a chance for all the convicted persons to participate in free time activities that are organized by administration of place of imprisonment, no matter what the degree of the penalty regime is. Participation in free time activities cannot be obligatory. Daily plan determines time, when convicted person can attend library, read and exchange books, attend gym, chapel, creative, amateur or other hobby groups. Convicted person can visit administration of place of imprisonment in certain day and time, determined by administration of place of imprisonment. Convicted persons can independetly atted Medicine department of place of imprisonment. Convicted person can spend his/her free time, how they wish. Convicted person cannot be forced to attend library or chapel, if he doesn’t want to do that. These rights help convicted person to plan his/her free time. Free time activities are organized by all Resocialization department and administration of place of imprisonment. They are working together, providing necessary materials for amateur art activities or for event management, collaborating with interested NGO’s, for example, „ProBono” and „Ghetto Games”. There is a plan drawn up for free time activities for convicted persons, specified event name, date and time, also determinated responsible official. Free time activities can be divided into: 1. Events planned in the day plan, according to each convicted person’s penal regime degree, 2. Events organized by officials of place of imprisonment (there is event plan drawn up), 3. Public organizations events that are being held in place of imprisonment. The main indicators of free time events are: 1. Creating awereness in convicted person about his/her free time, 2. Planning and implementing of free time, 3. Appropriate contact keeping, exchange of information, acquisition of new information, 4. mental and physical development, 5. the development of new skills. When deciding about opportunity to participate in free time events, must estimate about: 1. desire of convicted person to participate; 2. behavior of convicted person during serving the sentence; 3. law requirements about isolating the convicted person etc. Free time activities in prisons are extremely important as they are one of the resocialisation measures and thus develop skills and talents, provide possibility for inmates to express themselves creatively and to develop their individuality. Organised free time events encourage inmates to spend their time meaningfully and constructively, encouraging the development of civil and national identity as well as contributes to preventive work for diminishing negative tendencies, by providing career counselling for inmates, gaining knowledge and education necessary for practical work and life in general. Organised free time events help to reintegrate inmates into society, contributes to achieving the goals and tasks of resocialisation, which in turn contribute where possible to reduction in repeated offence. Taking into consideration the limits of rights of such persons, set in the Sentence Execution Code of Latvia, respectively, these persons should be offered more opportunities to participate in the organized free time activities, in accordance with the resocialisation conception, supported by the Cabinet of Ministers, within the existing financial framework. Taking into consideration the previously mentioned, also the free time activities, which are visited by an inmate, show that the person uses his time meaningfully and constructively, which in turn provides information about the character of said person, their willingness to participate in various processes. To answer the question – could it contribute as a model of good practice for other penal systems? Exchange of experience between different correction systems improves required jobs with convicted persons.
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?In open prisons convicted persons are living in dormitories. Living and utility rooms can be demarcated with a fence without external guards, but convicted persons are being supervised. In one open prison can live both men and women. There are no penal regime for convicted persons in open prisons. Convicted persons have rights: 1) to move independently within the territory from morning till uninterrupted sleep according to the agenda set of place of imprisonment; 2) to wear personal clothing, store the money and valuables, to shop at their discretion; 3) invite over the guests, receive packages or parcels without limitation. With permit from head of place of imprisonment convicted person can receive education in places of education that are located outside the place of imprisonment. Head of place of imprisonment provides a chance for convicted person to leave place of imprisonment, when he/she needs to take exams in general or professional education institution. Convicted persons, who are serving their sentence in open prison, with a permit from head of place of imprisonment, can be employed outside the place of imprisonment.
The model could be logically structured convict’s evaluation system as follows: convict’s criminal behavior risk assessment using scientifically based methodologies at the beginning of the sentence serving; planning and enforcement of convict’s social rehabilitation on the basis of assessment; possibility to be conditionally released/ not released from correction institutions taking into account the implementation of measures of convict’s individual social rehabilitation plan and his/her criminal behavior risk dynamics; carrying out of a new criminal conduct behavior assessment for conditional release on the basis of which Social Research Conclusion shall be prepared (t. i. the basic document submitted to Conditional Release Board of the correction institution).
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?Convicted adult persons sentenced for negligent and intentional minor crimes are determined by the court to serve their sentence in correction house-open prison colony. Convicted persons may be transferred to open colony to serve the sentence as the incentive measure. Both men and women can serve the sentence in the same correction house-open prison colony. In the correction house-open prison colony convicts: 1. are supervised but not guarded; 2. from wake up to sleep time have the right to move freely within the defined area; 3. can carry cash and valuable items, no limits to use of cash; 4. have the right for not limited number of visits, receiving postal and handed over parcels, small parcels; sending and receiving of letters; making phone calls; 5. if the housing conditions permit, can live next to an open prison with their families. 6. by the permission of the administration of the correction institution may leave the premises of the open colony unsupervised, but only in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, if it is required by the nature of the work to be done, treatment or study; 7. if he/she does not have sanctions, once a week for up to two days, excluding work, by the order of a director of the correction institution may be granted leave home in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania; 8. if he/she does not have sanctions, during the annual vocations, by the order of a director of the correction institution may be granted leave home in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. Travel expenses are paid by the convicted person or his close relatives.
The care and rehabilitation of persons in custody is a core goal of the Irish Prison Service (IPS). In keeping with its mission statement, the IPS endeavours to achieve a balanced approach in the effective performance of its care and custody functions. It seeks to manage sentences in a way which encourages and supports persons in prison in their efforts to live law abiding and purposeful lives on release. Care and rehabilitation involves significant multi-dimensional input by a diverse range of general and specialist services provided both by the IPS and statutory and non-statutory community based services. Among the various services provided at prison level include healthcare, education, library, work and training, psychology and spiritual services. These services are important in addressing missed educational and vocational opportunities, offending behaviour, drug and alcohol addiction, mental health issues and poor self-management in order that prisoners can receive appropriate healthcare interventions, achieve positive personal development and successful re-integration and resettlement in the community. The care function also involves maintenance of links with the community and measures to facilitate reintegration. Prisoner Release Policy A new prisoner pre-release planning policy for the Irish Prison Service will be enacted shortly and will represent considerable improvements to current pre-release planning and practices in Irish prisons. This policy will address issues arising for the individual in custody under six key pillars: Housing/Accommodation Needs, Financial Supports, Healthcare, Public Safety and Statutory Requirements, Families & Personal Relationships, Education, Training and Employment. A new central information window on the electronic Prisoner Information Management System (PIMS) is currently being introduced to support this policy and each member of the prison-based multi-disciplinary team has a role to play in maintaining sentence management information on this central platform. This new window will record a range of information with regard to post-release concerns and sentence plans for individual prisoners, the system also allows for an ‘alert’ to appear pre-release if a person has declared that they are at risk of homelessness on exit from custody. It is hoped that once it is fully active this system will improve planning for transition to the community, and reduce occurrences of ex-offenders becoming homeless post release. The Irish Prison Service provides funding to the Irish Association for the Social Integration of Offenders (IASIO) for two operational services, the 'Gate' Service and the Resettlement Service. The 'Gaining Access to Training and Employment' (GATE) Service is a vocational service that offers guidance counselling and placement supports to referred prisoners with the overall aim of securing a placement in training or employment post-release. The Resettlement Service is a primary needs resettlement support service for prisoners with less than 18 months left to serve. The IASIO Resettlement Service provides one-to-one support from the prison to the community under an overall objective of stable resettlement and reintegration, advocating on behalf of the prisoner with a range of community services. These resettlement coordinators work with offenders prior to their release to address barriers to their stable re-integration including housing, welfare and medical needs. The Community Return Programme (Community Return Scheme & Community Support Scheme) The Community Return Programme is an incentivised early release scheme co-managed by the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service. It commenced in October 2011 and is operational across in very prison in the State. Community Return Scheme The Community Return Scheme targets well behaved prisoners serving sentences of between 1 and 8 years imprisonment who are making genuine efforts to desist from reoffending. Since the scheme commenced in 2011, over 1600 prisoners were released back into the community in a structured manner with the expectation that they perform Community Service in lieu of the balance of the period of imprisonment. The Evaluation Report, "Community Return - A Unique Opportunity" - published late 2015 found that the Scheme has provided a real and beneficial return to communities across the country. This scheme provides a means whereby offenders can return to their own communities and begin the process of resettlement with focus and pride, along with the knowledge that they can make a positive contribution to community life. The low return to prison rates of those released on to the scheme is particularly impressive. Community Service Supervisors report that the participants who had been released from prison showed a great interest and motivation to perform the work allocated to them as an alternative to imprisonment. The Evaluation also highlighted other positive aspects of the scheme and reported that feedback indicated that this success can be attributed to factors including the selection process which identifies eligible prisoners who are engaging with the therapeutic services and committed to a crime free lifestyle. It also made reference to the supports provided to those leaving custody and the speedy enforcement regarding non-compliance. The Programme is viewed in a positive light among the prison population as it is seen as "fair" in the manner in which early release candidates are selected. The current compliance rates (just under 90%) are particularly impressive and demonstrate the reliability in the selection process. This Programme is the first of its kind anywhere in the world and IPS have received considerable levels of interest from foreign jurisdictions who are interested in replicating the Irish model. Draft legislation is before the Northern Ireland Assembly to implement their version of Community Return which has arisen following intensive knowledge exchange, expert visits and consultation. Approaches have also been received from, among others, South Africa, Switzerland and the World Congress on Community Corrections which took place in the USA a few months ago. Further articles on its implementation will be published soon in the Journal of Community Corrections (US) and the Irish Probation Journal. Community Support Scheme Prisoners serving sentences of less than one year are ineligible for Community Return and may instead be considered for release under the Community Support Scheme, which the IPS grant funds through a number of charitable not for profit organisations, running schemes from Mountjoy Campus, West Dublin Campus, Cork Prison and Limerick Prison. These initiatives are in line with the aims set out in the Joint Irish Prison Service and Probation Service Strategic Plan and in particular the IPS commitment to provide supports for short term sentence prisoners. The Community Support groups, in consultation and in partnership with key prison service officials, engage with the prisoner shortly after committal in order to identify risk factors, make appropriate referrals and prepare a sentence management plan in each case. The primary aim of this Scheme is to reduce the current recidivism rates by arranging for additional support structures and provide for a more structured form of temporary release. The Groups focus on working with prisoners who are serving between 3 and 12 months - helping with issues such as housing, medical care, substance abuse, training needs, etc. The aim is to increase support to prisoners - prior to their release from prison, upon their release and then for a period after their release in order to help break the cycle of reoffending. Offenders will have the option of being considered for temporary release conditional on them engaging with this scheme. Those who signal their wish not to engage will instead remain in custody until their sentence is complete. The Community Support Worker continues to meet with offenders following their release from custody in order to provide assistance to the participants and to build on sentence planning including referral to appropriate agencies and supports. In addition progress and compliance with temporary release conditions is monitored and the Community Return Unit and prison based personnel receive feedback on how the participants are faring in their return to the community. The Irish Prison Work Training and Education Service The guiding principle which underpins education and work and training services in Irish prisons is to make available, work, skills training, education and other purposeful activities to all those in custody. Training and education activities endeavour to meet the needs of prisoners through helping them cope with their sentence, achieve personal development, improve their employability and prepare for life after release. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) places a strong emphasis on improving prisoners’ employability prospects through work and training activities and accredited vocational training courses. Work and Training A wide range of training workshops operate within the institutions e.g. printing, computers, braille, woodwork, metalwork, construction, industrial cleaning, crafts and horticulture. In addition, the Work Training function comprehends such essential services as catering and laundry services. The Work Training service is also involved in providing materials and products for charitable organisations. There are over 120 workshops and service activities across the prison estate with a current work station capacity of 1,330. The IPS has been expanding the number of accredited courses and opportunities available to prisoners in Work Training in recent years. Enhanced partnership arrangements with accrediting bodies such as City and Guilds, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and the Guild of Launderers and Cleaners and the centralising of coordination and quality assurance arrangements have enabled us to extend the number of available courses and activities with certification. Planned future enhancements of the work and training services include the development of formal protocols with the national employment services offices (INTREO), establishment of formal links with major employer organisations in areas such as construction and catering and the introduction of enhanced skills programmes through initiatives such as Skillnets and Traineeships (short apprenticeships). A further planned initiative is the development of a joint strategy with the Probation Service to establish and support a number of social enterprises to provide work integration employment opportunities to ex-offenders. A pilot project establishing a café at one of the Open Prisons has already begun and is proving to be successful. Education Educational services are available at all Irish prison institutions and are provided in partnership with the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and a range of other educational agencies. Broad programmes of education are provided which generally follow an adult education approach. The Department (Ministry) of Education and Skills provides an allocation of whole-time teacher equivalents to the prisons through the ETBs (220 in the academic year 2015/16). The aim of the Education Service is to deliver a high quality, broad, flexible programme of education that helps prisoners cope with their sentence, achieve personal development, prepare for life after release and establish an appetite and capacity for life-long learning. The Service seeks to deliver relevant programmes that cater for holistic needs, ensure broad access and high participation, and prioritise those with basic education needs. It promotes the principles of adult and community education and supports a multi-disciplinary approach within the prison system. Programmes are adapted to take account of the diversity of the prisoner population and the complex nature of prison life, including segregation requirements and high levels of prisoner turnover. Educational courses and curricula which are based on individuals participating in one or more subject areas for an academic year and then sitting examinations are only appropriate for a small number of prisoners. The state second-level (Junior and Leaving Certificate) courses are made available but increasing numbers of prisoners require a more flexible curriculum which has multiple entry and exit points that take account of prior educational attainment. QQI (formerly FETAC) accreditation is therefore widely used with assessment by portfolio compilation. All prison Education Centres meet the quality assurance standards demanded by QQI. The Department (Ministry) of Education has agreed Prison Education Operational Guidelines with IPS and the ETBs and these guidelines are underpinning how education is being delivered in prisons. Teachers' salaries are funded by the Department of Education and Skills who currently provide an allocation of 220 whole-time teacher equivalents to the prisons through the ETBs. Other expenditure through the Irish Prison Service vote covers the incidental day to day costs of running the education centres, including educational equipment purchase and repair, course resource materials and educational software. A new joint Education Strategy with the Education and Training Boards has been finalised in line with the overall IPS Strategic Plan 2016 – 2018. The Irish Prison Psychology Service The core work of the Irish Prison Psychology Service is to address the mental health and offence-related needs of those in prison. The focus on offence-related work (which has its aim to address those factors that put offenders at risk of recidivism) has increased in recent years. This has been due to a number of factors – the number of higher risk offenders presenting with complex needs, the need to support the Parole Board in their work and the strong evidence base indicating appropriate psychological interventions (particularly those targeting high risk, high need offenders) can have a significant impact on recidivism. In addition to one to one work with offenders, the Service operates dedicated group programmes based on a Good Lives Model for those convicted of sexual offending and for those convicted of violent offences. Group based violence programmes are currently being developed across the estate. The Service is also involved in the application of Psychology more broadly across the prison service – training and strategic initiatives, policy development, etc. In May 2015, the IPS commissioned a review of the Psychology Service by an independent consultant, Dr Frank Porporino. Dr Porporino’s report outlined that the Psychology Service was neither embedded nor supported within the organisation, tended to work in isolation from other disciplines, was not sufficiently accountable, needed to diversify interventions, and required additional staff to align with established international offender to psychologist ratios (1:150). This report, ‘New Connections: Embedding Psychology Services and Practice in the Irish Prison Service’ is available on the IPS website. Five key recommendations were made in Dr Porporino’s report, which included the Psychology Service: • Taking a lead role in sentence planning and management • Providing a broader range of interventions • Providing specialised programmes for: o those convicted of violence and sexual violence, o those serving life sentences, o females in custody, and o those experiencing mental distress • Engaging in joined-up interventions with other services, and • Contributing to a responsive correctional environment. The first ever Psychology Service Strategy 2016 – 2018 was published in June 2016. The Strategy was developed in line with, and to ensure implementation of, the above recommendations. This Strategy is available on www.irishprisons.ie
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?The Irish Prison Service have two open centres at Loughan House, Blacklion, Co. Cavan, and Shelton Abbey, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, with accommodation for 140 and 115 prisoners respectively. The theoretical aims and objectives of setting up open centres was to provide places of detention aimed at the "rehabilitation" of offenders through intensive education and training linked with a regime to encourage a sense of personal responsibility and self-respect which should assist in them leading law-abiding lives on their return to the community. Security restrictions are kept to the minimum necessary for a well ordered community life by placing a big emphasis on trust and encouraging co-operation of offenders. Traditionally, the profile of open centres have included either (a) Low risk offenders who are serving short sentences for "minor" offences, or (b) Offenders nearing the end of longer sentences whose transfers have been approved as part of a sentence management programme, often following the recommendation of the Parole Board. Please refer to the Open Centre Policy document on the Irish Prison Service website www.irishprisons.ie for detail information relating to eligibility for transfer to an open centre, programme details etc.
The so-called “Integrale Straffälligenarbeit” describes the concept of transition management in Mecklenburg-Western-Pomerania. The process in the penal system and the cooperation at the interfaces between the intramural and the extramural parts are compulsory regulated and described. All deadlines and necessary steps are described as concrete as possible, so that the transfer of a convicted person from the prison to the probation service and vice versa can be carried out without interruptions.
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?In principle, open prisons is an equivalent form of accommodation alongside the closed execution, if certain conditions can be applied. For example, there is no risk of escape or commitment of further crimes. Characteristics of an open prison is a higher degree of freedom of movement for the prisoners. For example, they are locked into their rooms only at night and can move freely within the department during the day or leave the institution to pursue an occupation.
The so-called “Integrale Straffälligenarbeit” describes the concept of transition management in Mecklenburg-Western-Pomerania. The process in the penal system and the cooperation at the interfaces between the intramural and the extramural parts are compulsory regulated and described. All deadlines and necessary steps are described as concrete as possible, so that the transfer of a convicted person from the prison to the probation service and vice versa can be carried out without interruptions.
What distinguishes the open detention regime in relation to other prison regimes from your correctional system?In principle, open prisons is an equivalent form of accommodation alongside the closed execution, if certain conditions can be applied. For example, there is no risk of escape or commitment of further crimes. Characteristics of an open prison is a higher degree of freedom of movement for the prisoners. For example, they are locked into their rooms only at night and can move freely within the department during the day or leave the institution to pursue an occupation.