The 5th World Congress on Probation and Parole was held in Ottawa, Canada, from 28th September to 1st October 2022. The Congress brought together professionals from all parts of the world; 320 delegates and participants from over 30 countries. The theme, No One Left Behind, encapsulated the shared commitment of probation and parole authorities and professionals to reach out to and include the marginalised and excluded at the heart of their work. The Congress programme offered a wide variety of excellent speeches and workshops, representing the best practices around the world with the same idea; treatment and rehabilitation of offenders under probation supervision, respecting and protecting human rights and working for a safer and better society for all.
The papers and presentations from the 5th World Congress on Parole and Probation can be found on the CCJA website.
CEP is one of the founders of the World Congress on Probation and, with international and local partners, hosted the first World Congress on Probation in London in 2013. CEP is an active participant in the World Congress Advisory Group and has been represented at every biennial World Congress. At the 5th World Congress on Probation and Parole, hosted by the Parole Board of Canada and partners, in Ottawa, CEP was represented by President Mr. Gerry McNally, Vice-President Ms. Annie Devos, Secretary General Ms. Jana Spero, Board Members Ms. Iuliana Carbunaru and Ms. Pia Andersson, CEP Ambassador Mr. Steve Pitts as well as by delegates and contributors from many CEP member jurisdictions. CEP had a very successful stand with promotional materials where Congress participants could meet and chat with representatives of CEP to learn about CEP, its network and its many activities. The Congress and the CEP stand provided an excellent opportunity to present CEP’s and its members’ work to old and new friends from across the world as well as develop and strengthen many links and partnerships.
CEP is proud to highlight that President Mr. Gerry McNally delivered opening and welcome remarks and also made a roundtable presentation, The Irish System and the Origins of Parole. Vice-President Ms. Annie Devos and Board Member Ms. Iuliana Carbunaru were roundtable speakers as was Professor Ioan Durnescu, an honorary member of CEP. Board Member Ms. Pia Andersson presented Finland in one of the workshops. Many representatives of European countries, members of the CEP, were included in the Congress programme.
At the Congress, Johan Bac, Director General of Reclassering Nederland, also announced that the next World Congress on Probation, the 6th, will take place in the Netherlands, as part of the celebration of the 200-year anniversary of probation in the Netherlands. CEP will be an active partner and supporter of Reclassering Nederland, a valued and long-standing CEP member, in their planning and preparations for the 6th World Congress.
The 5th World Congress on Probation and Parole in Ottawa was a valuable and successful event strengthening the world ‘family’ of probation and parole. It has helped bring probation and parole professionals across the world closer and, more than ever, committed to sharing and learning together. Special thanks are due to the Parole Board of Canada, and their partners, for their care and attention in ensuring that the World Congress ran smoothly and successfully.
Keep up to date with the latest developments, stories, and updates on probation from across Europe and beyond. Find relevant news and insights shaping the field today.
CEP has released the first cross-European study examining stress, burnout, and morale among probation staff. The report was produced by Professor Charlie Brooker, Professor Karen Tocque, Professor Ioan Durnescu and Liliana Lupsica, whose combined expertise in public health, criminology, and organisational analysis provides an important contribution to our understanding of well-being in probation work.
On 12 and 13 November 2025, CEP Secretary General Jana Špero Kamenjarin participated in the Multilateral Meeting on Women in Prison: Advancing Gender-Sensitive Policies and Practices, at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The meeting brought together representatives from 40 member states, penitentiary administrations, and international experts, united by a shared commitment to improving rehabilitation, reducing re-offending, and promoting gender equality in places of deprivation of liberty.
This book, Forensic Social Work – Supporting Desistance, has been released by Routledge. It is a practice-oriented resource exploring how forensic social work can support desistance and foster meaningful change in the lives of justice-involved individuals.
The 16th episode of Division_Y features Stephan Leißner, a public probation and parole officer at the Coburg Regional Court in Bavaria, Germany.
On 6 November 2025, the CoPPer Final Project Conference took place at Het Nutshuis in The Hague, the Netherlands, marking a milestone in European cooperation and innovation in the field of probation. The event brought together 66 participants representing jurisdictions from Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom, Portugal, Netherlands, Romania, Estonia, as well as Türkiye and Japan. A clear sign of the growing international interest in the CoPPer project and its outcomes.
CEP SG Jana Spero Kamenjarin attended the 27th International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) Conference, held in Istanbul, Türkiye. The conference brought together professionals, researchers, and policy experts from around the world to share insights and best practices. There were approximately 700 participants and the conference program consisted of 151 presentations.
