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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.
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Introduction: The Prison Department of Lithuania is planning to acquire testing methodologies (user’s manual), i.e. a set of tests/tasks aimed at assessing the professional competency and skills of correctional officers (including a range of specialists and different ranks). Seeking to choose the best option we would like to learn about the experience of other EuroPris member states
Please note these replies are in the context of Recruit Prison Officers. Yes. The selection process for the Recruit Prison Officer will comprise a number of stages. These may include one or more of the following: • Completion of an online Assessment Questionnaire; • Online and/or paper-based assessment test(s); • Shortlisting; • Presentation exercise; • Work sample exercise; • Group exercise; • Language tests (oral and/or written), • Interview(s); • Physical Competence test • Medical Examination • Reference checks • Any other tests/exercises deemed appropriate
Are the test/task sets designed to assess a specific skill or a group of skills?The selection process is designed to assess a candidates overall suitability and skill level for the role of Recruit Prison Officer. Ultimately they are designed to gauge which candidates demonstrate the key competencies and skills required for the role of Recruit Prison Officer ie: • An ability to direct others • An ability to support others • Conscientiousness • Resilience • Adaptability • Information handling and communication skills
Methodologies involving test/task sets shall be checked by a survey, their validity shall be measured.The role of Recruit Prison Officer is ever changing, therefore selection methods evolve over time in order to ensure they are relevant to the role of Recruit Prison Officer. We continually monitor their validity on a regular basis via the Civil Service’s main recruitment partner PAS www.publicjobs.ie who run the competition on our behalf.
What is the purpose of conducting competency and skills assessment of this nature, i.e. where are the results used?The Competency framework used by the Irish Prison Service and PAS are aligned with the roles being advertised at that time. The Irish Prison Service have recently completely their new updated 2022 Competency Framework which incorporates all of the Irish Prison Service grades. The Recruit Prison Officer skills and competencies are a joint decision by the Irish Prison Service and PAS. The Results in this case will determine if a candidate is suitable for the role of Recruit Prison Officer, ultimately leading to the offer of employment.
Are the competency and skills assessment conducted at regular intervals (if no, how often)?The initial selection process is a once off exercise, undertaken prior to an offer of employment and administered by PAS. However, successful candidates are required to demonstrate the key competencies and skills (listed above) on an ongoing basis throughout their career and at a higher level if they are to progress through the grades within the Irish Prison Service. They are also expected to undertake any additional training deemed necessary to enable them to effectively carry out their role as Recruit Prison Officer. Furthermore, it is important to understand that the Irish Prison Service have initial competencies which include skills to join the IPS via PAS, however, any officer who wishes to get promoted within the IPS must demonstrate their competency for the role for which they are applying. Every promotional competition held within the Irish Prison Service have specific job roles and responsibilities as well as competencies that they candidate must demonstrate they have the ability to fulfil.
Yes, throughout a new officer’s training. This is through multiple skills assessments, knowledge-based questions, and witness testimony evidence for behaviour. This is quantified with a formal qualification.
Are the test/task sets designed to assess a specific skill or a group of skills?Group of skills.
Methodologies involving test/task sets shall be checked by a survey, their validity shall be measured.All skills are tested via assessments and pass or fail is used to measure performance.
What is the purpose of conducting competency and skills assessment of this nature, i.e. where are the results used?The results are used as evidence to show that all knowledge, skills, and behaviours required to be a competent prison officer have been met.
Are the competency and skills assessment conducted at regular intervals (if no, how often)?Skills assessments, including assessing knowledge and behaviour are conducted regularly and spread over a 12–18-month period.
1. Yes. As part of the Residential Officer Foundation Programme (ROFP), which all new external entrants and internal promotees to the Residential Officer role are required to complete as foundational training, staff are required to successfully complete a summative assessment strategy based on professional skills, practice, and organisational values.
Are the test/task sets designed to assess a specific skill or a group of skills?2. Yes. The ROFP and its associated assessment strategy are designed around five key themes for the Residential Officer role, each with associated skills and subject matters: embodying organisational values, maintaining efficient and effective establishments, ensuring safe and secure custody, providing individual case management, and addressing needs through custodial care.
Methodologies involving test/task sets shall be checked by a survey, their validity shall be measured.N/A
What is the purpose of conducting competency and skills assessment of this nature, i.e. where are the results used?4. The ROFP assessment strategy is a mandatory requirement for the Residential Officer role (i.e. staff must pass all elements of the strategy in order to successfully complete the ROFP and enter their new role.
Are the competency and skills assessment conducted at regular intervals (if no, how often)?5. The ROFP is a one-off training product. Any further competency/skills assessment would likely fall under regular performance review and individual CPD with managerial support.
The employees in the General Directorate “Execution of Sentences“ and its territorial services are three categories: civil servants who directly carry out activities in the execution of sentences and detention measure, civil servants and employees working under contractual relations. For the all categories of the employees rules for assessment of the professional competency and skills are applied.
Are the test/task sets designed to assess a specific skill or a group of skills?2. The assessment for civil servants who directly carry out activities in the execution of sentences and detention measure and civil servants the includes: competence - qualifications (knowledge and skills) and experience, awards and prizes received and penalties imposed. In assessing competence, the following indicators are taken into account and are designed to assess a group of skills: - the timely and quality performance of the duties set out in the job description of the staff member being appraised; - knowledge and application of the regulations governing the organisational structure and the functions of the post; - organisational and management skills; - ability to work independently; - performance and behavioural control; - professional motivation and responsibility. The assessment for the employees working under contractual relations includes professional competence, performance of duties, honours, awards, penalties and personal qualities relevant to the performance of the post.
Methodologies involving test/task sets shall be checked by a survey, their validity shall be measured.Na
What is the purpose of conducting competency and skills assessment of this nature, i.e. where are the results used?the purpose of staff assessment is the formation and payment of additional remuneration for performance as well as creating the conditions for effective performance management at the level of administration, administrative unit and individual employee to achieve the objectives of the respective administrative structure; assessing the contribution of the individual to the achievement of the objectives of the administrative unit and administrative structure concerned; the fair determination of staff remuneration in relation to their performance; identifying the development needs of each staff member and improving his/her competencies; improving working relationships, including between supervisors and subordinates; creating the conditions for fair and transparent professional and career development procedures; The payment of additional remuneration for performance is a tool to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of core tasks and activities, increasing employee satisfaction and motivation.
Are the competency and skills assessment conducted at regular intervals (if no, how often)?Performance appraisal of the first two categories of is carried out consecutively in two reporting periods per calendar year - a first reporting period from 1 January to 31 May and a second reporting period from 1 June to 31 October. The assessment of the third category of staff is carried out annually.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
At present, a system of regular assessment of the professional competency is not implemented. According to the Act no.73/1998 Coll. on the Civil Service of Members of the Police Force, the Slovak Intelligence Service, the Corps of Prison and Court Guard of the Slovak Republic and the Railway Police, as amended (hereinafter only “Act no. 73/1998 Coll.”), a service evaluation of policemen (thus also prison officers) is carried out at least once every five years. It aims to assess the knowledge of regulations and legal norms, their application, fulfilment of service duties and fulfilment of qualification requirements. The evaluation is conducted by the direct superior in writing using a pre-defined form. As regard the assessment of the skills of prison officers, based on Sec. 49 b) of the Act no. 73/1998 Coll. (in the following wording: “The superior is obliged to ensure that subordinated policemen are adequately trained and educated to perform the civil service.”) and under the Order of the Director General of the Corps no. 5/2022 on the Training of the Prison Officers of the Corps (hereinafter only “Order no. 5/2022”), the service office shall annually carry out tests of prison officers consisting of physical fitness, shootings, self-defence and emergency tests. The total evaluation of test of a prison officer from physical fitness, shootings, self-defence has two grades – passed/not passed. The results of the tests are filed in the personal file of a prison officer. The prison officer shall undergo the physical fitness test from the following disciplines (disciplines in a) and c) are optional): a) pull-ups on the horizontal bar or sit-ups repeatedly (female prison officers only sit-ups repeatedly), b) jump for distance, c) run for 100 meters or 10 x 10 meters “shuttle run” (female prison officers - run for 50 meters or 5 x 10 meters “shuttle run”), d) 12 minute run (the Cooper test). The physical fitness test takes into account the age of a female/male prison officer (the score takes into account the age category to which a male/female prison officer is included). The obligation to undergo the physical fitness test shall not be applied to a prison officer who has reached the age of 50 (men) and the age of 40 (women) in the calendar year concerned or to those who are permanently excluded from the tests due to the medical reasons. The self-defense test shall undergo the prison officers stated in Sec. 7 par. 2 of the Order no. 5/2022 (i.e. mainly prison officers of the Security Department at Headquarters of the Corps and lecturers – instructors of the Training Centre of the Corps, prison officers of the Security Divisions in prisons and prison officers of the Pre-trial Detention and Prison Sentence Divisions in prisons, etc.) in the course of a calendar year in a practical form by handling the model situations that are selected on each year by the Security Department at Headquarters of the Corps from the instructional-methodological video of the self-defence. The model situations stimulate the service intervention of one or more prison officers against one or more persons with the use of coercive means. The total evaluation of shootings of a shooter (i.e. prison officer) is resulted from the shootings of determined evaluating shooting exercises, evaluating shooting parkour and evaluating model situations for calendar year concerned. The model situations stimulate the service intervention of one or more prison officers against one or more persons with the use of firearm or other coercive means. In accordance with the Order of the Director General of the Corps no. 28/2014 on the Riot Unit and Intervention Group in the Corps (hereinafter only “Order no. 28/20014”), the prison officers of the intervention groups and the prison officers who are trainers of the riot units are tested individually.
Are the test/task sets designed to assess a specific skill or a group of skills?No, in general we don’t use tests, tasks or other assignments to assess a specific skills or a group of skills. However, in accordance with the Order no. 28/2014, the prison officers of the intervention groups and the prison officers who are trainers of the riot units are tested individually. As the mentioned prison officers fulfil more demanding tasks, the tests from self-defence and physical fitness are set more challenging as for the regular prison officers.
Methodologies involving test/task sets shall be checked by a survey, their validity shall be measured.Tasks/tests to assess skills and competences are elaborated internally by the determined group of methodologists.
What is the purpose of conducting competency and skills assessment of this nature, i.e. where are the results used?The purpose of conducting the assessment of skills and competences consists in the fulfilment of Sec. 49 b) of the Act no. 73/1998 Coll. – to ensure the competence of a prison officer to fulfil tasks in the civil service. The Corps has been also considering to introduce the assessment of selected competences for personal development of the prison officers.
Are the competency and skills assessment conducted at regular intervals (if no, how often)?As it was already mentioned in the answer to question no. 1, the Corps conducts so called service evaluation at least once every five years. In the case of the introduction of the regular assessment of selected competences, we will conduct such assessment annually. Also with reference to the answer to question no. 1, the service office shall annually carry out the tests of prison officers consisting of physical fitness, shootings, self-defence and emergency tests.
In the Spanish Prison Administration there is no specific instrument for direct assessment of competences, aptitudes or abilities. However, there are instruments to evaluate knowledge, competences, aptitudes or skills indirectly, that are applied at two points in time: a. Prior to the admission into the prison career, by selective procedures adapted to the content of the function to be performed, both theoretical and practical and, where appropriate, also languages. b. After entry into the penitentiary career, by means of two instruments: -Systems for filling posts: either through the procedure of free appointment (discretionary assessment of knowledge, competencies, skills and abilities) or the tendering procedure (assessed evolution of knowledge, competencies, aptitudes and skills, through a scale of merits considered relevant). -Internal promotion system: which combine a knowledge evaluation phase and a merit assessment phase.
Are the test/task sets designed to assess a specific skill or a group of skills? Methodologies involving test/task sets shall be checked by a survey, their validity shall be measured. What is the purpose of conducting competency and skills assessment of this nature, i.e. where are the results used? Are the competency and skills assessment conducted at regular intervals (if no, how often)?This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.