Introduction
EuroPris is pleased to organise a webinar on 27 March 2025, from 14.00 – 16.00 (CET) focusing on the unique needs of juveniles and young adults in detention. This session will bring together experts from Northern Ireland, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
The discussion will highlight initiatives aimed at preventing juvenile offences, supporting young offenders in their reintegration, and reducing reoffending. Speakers will share experiences on enhancing education, skills development, and employment opportunities, as well as the process of establishing juvenile prisons. Additionally, the webinar will explore proposals for changes to these specialised units.
Moderated by EuroPris Executive Director, Gustav Tallving, the Juveniles in Detention Webinar is an invaluable opportunity for professionals working in the prison sector and juvenile justice. Don’t miss the chance to gain expert knowledge and exchange best practices with colleagues from across Europe.
In case of questions, please contact the EuroPris secretariat at [email protected]
Speakers
- Stanislav Solodov (Estonia): From (2009-2015) worked in a female prison and now serves at the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs. Since 2023, he’s involved in a project, co-financed by European Social Fund, focused on preventing youth from entering the criminal justice system. Between the years of 2015 and 2023 he implemented another European Union co-financed project, „Re-entry services for ex-offenders“, which has been submitted by the European Commission as a successful project. His interests include prison environment, reintegration and desistance from crime, restorative justice. He is also a restorative justice trainer and practitioner (as a volunteer).
- Fleur Souverein (the Netherlands): Fleur Souverein is a researcher specialising in youth justice, relational security, and restorative justice. She holds master’s degrees in Clinical Forensic Youth Care and Psychology and completed her PhD at Amsterdam UMC in 2023. Fleur has worked as a psychologist, sociotherapist, and researcher, including a fellowship at Melbourne University on comparative criminology. She co-founded an international youth justice network at AWRJ, coordinates the Law & Love: Rebuilding Justice honours programme, and co-runs The Young Ones 020, a foundation supporting justice-involved young people.
- Richard Taylor (Northern Ireland): Richard is the Governor In Charge of Hydebank Wood Secure College and Women’s Prison. A career Prison Officer since 1988, he has held various multi-disciplinary roles, including Governor In Charge of Magilligan Prison and the Prison Service College, where he led the introduction of the Custody Prison Officer role. He holds a Master’s in Human Resource Management from Ulster University, is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, and was awarded a Professional Fellowship by the U.S. State Department for his work on correctional rehabilitation. In 2007, he received a Senior Butler Trust Award for outstanding contributions to offender care. Under his leadership, Hydebank Wood achieved top marks (16/16) in its 2024 inspection, establishing it as a model of good practice.
- Cathy Russell (Northern Ireland): Cathy joined the Northern Ireland Prison Service in 2012 as a Custody Prison Officer at HMP Maghaberry. She progressed to Senior Officer in 2016 and later oversaw the opening of Davis House, a state-of-the-art facility. As part of NIPS’ Future Leaders Scheme, she gained experience across all Northern Ireland prisons in areas such as rehabilitation, security, and family relations. Now, she leads purposeful activity, rehabilitation, and reintegration at Hydebank Wood College and Women’s Prison.
- Gunilla Hansson (Sweden): Gunilla is a Master of Law and a General Court Associate Judge with extensive experience in legal management within the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (SPPS) Legal Department. She focuses on internal coordination and operational development from a legal perspective, particularly in legal governance, support, and the implementation of new legislation. From 2020 to 2024, she led a project on new probation legislation, which included introducing a new probation penalty for juvenile offenders and strengthening internal cooperation.
- Sarah Åhlén (Sweden): Sarah is an expert at the Department of Operational Development within the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (SPPS). She holds a BA in Behavioural Science, a BA in Education for Secondary School, and an Undergraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy. Her role involves internal coordination and multi-agency governmental assignments, including supporting defectors from organised crime, improving coordination structures for children and young people involved in organised crime, and preparing SPPS for its future responsibility for 15–17-year-olds sentenced to prison from July 2026. Sarah has a strong focus on external cooperation, collaboration, and implementation. She previously led a pilot study and large-scale implementation of STICS, a Canadian evidence-based method for probation officers designed to reduce recidivism through the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model, involving over 700 probation officers—a method still in use today.
