Organised crime networks continue to undermine the integrity of prison systems across Europe. Despite established prison regimes, criminal groups are able to maintain influence and coordinate activities from within, including in high-security facilities. Addressing this systemic challenge requires strengthened international cooperation and the exchange of practices, information, and intelligence.
The Organised Crime in Prisons (OCP) Conference 2025 — Innovation, Intelligence, and International Collaboration brought together experts, practitioners, and policymakers to explore these challenges, highlight effective responses, and reinforce cross-border cooperation in addressing organised crime in custodial settings. The conference took place on 4-6 November in Rome, Italy, and was jointly organised by the Italian Ministry of Justice: Department of Prison Administration, the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, and EuroPris. It was built on the successful 2023 edition hosted by Spain and the Netherlands, reinforcing the ongoing commitment to tackling organised crime in prisons.
This conference was primarily designed for prison professionals, policymakers, and representatives from Ministries of Justice across the Council of Europe region. As there were limited spots available, participants were asked to apply to attend the conference as participants were accepted on a rolling basis, based on suitability to the target group and regional spread.
The Organised Crime in Prisons Conference 2025 addressed key areas of concern related to organised crime within prison systems. The following core themes helped guide the conference discussions:
- Impact Assessment
Examining the effects of organised crime on prison operations, prisoner safety, staff wellbeing, and the exit-strategy. - High-Security Measures
Assessing specialised infrastructure, management strategies, and security protocols designed to contain high-risk prisoners and prevent the coordination of criminal activity within prisons. Measures preventing pressure from high risk-prisoners on lawyers. - Security Technologies
Presenting digital tools, surveillance systems, and technological innovations that support the detection of drones, monitoring, jamming phones and disruption of illicit activities. - Prison Intelligence
Enhancing intelligence gathering and analysis, and promoting inter-agency coordination to identify and dismantle criminal networks operating inside or through prison systems. - European Cooperation
Strengthening cross-border collaboration, information exchange, and policy alignment among European justice institutions to address organised crime in prisons more effectively.
Find the full programme for the Organised Crime in Prisons Conference here.
Programme overview:
- Tuesday, 4 November (Evening) – Welcome Reception (optional)
- Wednesday, 5 November – Conference Day 1
- Thursday, 6 November – Conference Day 2
- Friday, 7 November – Optional Prison Visits (limited capacity; pre-registration required)
For the OCP Conference, a call for papers was issued to invite practitioners, researchers, prison professionals, and institutional representatives actively engaged in addressing organised crime in prisons to submit proposals for presentations that address one or more of the conference themes. Based on the submissions received, the programming committee assigned speakers to sessions, which may include keynotes, breakout panels, or other interactive formats. The programming committee then assessed submissions based on quality, geographical and gender representation, relevance to the conference themes, and the potential to foster engaging discussions.
