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A business case to encourage services to prisoners held abroad

Publication date: 29-12-2010

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The Netherlands and the U.K. each offer services for their nationals in foreign prisons. In Utrecht The Netherlands, is the international office of the Dutch Probation Service (Bureau Buitenland), and Prisoners Abroad is the London based NGO dedicated to working with British people in prison abroad and their families. Both organisations have joined their knowledge in the field of working with men and women in foreign prisons and drawn up a business case that focuses on the need for such services. Rolf Streng, head of Bureau Buitenland, and John Walters, member of the board of Prisoners Abroad (and Secretary General of CEP 2001-2004), co-wrote the document as members of a Special Interest Group (SIG). The business case is to be presented at the Prisoners Abroad conference in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The message that they wish to convey is that prisoners who come back after their release are entitled to supervision and support in order to make their reintegration into society possible. Moreover, providing resettlement services is an excellent way to reduce the costs of recidivism when offenders return home.

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Within Europe, framework decisions have been adopted by the European Commission concerning the transfer of prison and probation sentences. The European Commission Framework Decisions 2008/909 and 2008/947 both aim to, among other things, facilitate the transfer of the offender (and their sentence) to the country of residence within the EU to improve the prospects of their social rehabilitation. (More information in presentations by Leo Tigges and Michael Donnellan). Data from the U.K. and The Netherlands provides some insight in the number of people who would qualify for transfer with the new Framework Decisions. 2,600 Dutch citizens are imprisoned abroad of whom 1,610 are within the EU and 90 in the rest of Europe. 2,600 people of British nationality are imprisoned abroad, including 730 in the EU.

Effectiveness of support services
The issue of supporting nationals who are detained in foreign prisons receives increasing attention from the EU. In conjunction with this development, Rolf Streng and John Walters wrote the business case. They want to emphasise that providing services for prisoners who are abroad, for their families, and for those returning from prison abroad is a vital way of helping protect the basic human rights of European citizens and securing their effective resettlement. The business case consists of roughly three parts. Starting with an outline of the European situation and EU Framework Decisions on prisons and probation, Streng and Walters continue with describing the situation in their respective countries, The Netherlands and U.K. Both show that the costs of their counselling services and resettlement are significantly lower than the damage and cost of reoffending. This specific group is largely forgotten in many European countries, while providing services does not only improve their lives, but also decreases the negative impact of their possible reoffending on society.

Special Interest Group
The SIG that was formerly known as EGPA, European Group for Prisoners Abroad, changed its identity when it became a part of CEP in 2007. The SIG consists of European organisations who want to invest into the services for their fellow citizens in foreign prisons, most notably Belgium, U.K., Sweden, Spain, The Netherlands Ireland and other associate members. The group met for common projects but has now reached a more institutionalised status within CEP, a result of the Nieuwersluis conference of October 2008. Sixteen European countries, and Russia, participated in this conference in Nieuwersluis, The Netherlands. The upcoming conference will be an excellent opportunity to follow up on the previous conference.

To create awareness
Through CEP's network, the SIG attempts to reach EU countries that are not yet, or providing very little support for foreign nationals in prisons. It is expected that more countries will become aware after the conference of the importance and cost effectiveness of support services.The business case shows that taking care of your nationals in prison abroad is cost effective. The SIG can support governments or NGOs with setting up such a service and the business case is an excellent tool in this process. The business case is a unique initiative in Europe to keep the interest for, and efforts of, the SIG alive.

The Business Case for providing Services to Prisoners Abroad