Previous Article
News
“In memoriam: Sue Hall, former Vice President of CEP”.
It is with great sadness that we have to inform you of the passing away, last Friday evening 26th June, of CEP former Vice President Sue Hall.
Sue Hall was one of the most outstanding Probation figures of her generation. A linguist, she graduated in Russian and German from the University of Cambridge, Girton College in 1974, but chose to make her career in the Probation Service, gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work at University College Cardiff in 1979. Her initial career was with the Humberside Probation Service, rising to Assistant Chief Probation Officer there in 1993. Her abilities, drive and commitment saw several further promotions. She became Deputy Chief Probation Officer in West Yorkshire in 2000 and whilst in that role she also achieved an MBA in 2002. In 2004, Sue was appointed Chief Probation Officer of the South Wales Service. She returned to West Yorkshire Probation as its Chief Executive Officer in 2005, in which role she remained until her retirement from that post in 2014. Under Sue’s leadership the West Yorkshire Trust gained a reputation for excellence. Sue was awarded an OBE in 2010 in recognition of her service to Probation.
In addition to her duties as CEO in Yorkshire, Sue was a national figure in England and Wales as Chair of the Probation Chiefs Association (PCA) from 2009 until its dissolution in 2014, a period of great turbulence in Probation, requiring astute leadership. She subsequently became a Non-Executive Director of the Probation Institute and a Trustee of the charity Prisoners Abroad from 2014 to 2017.
Such was Sue’s energy and drive that in addition to her other roles she was also simultaneously active at European level, acting as Vice President of the Confederation of European Probation (CEP) between 2010 and 2016. Amongst many other achievements she chaired the CEP Planning Group for the first and highly successful World Congress of Probation held in London in 2012. In 2014 Sue was honoured to present the annual Bill McWilliams lecture at the University of Cambridge Institute of Criminology.
All the above bear testament to Sue’s total commitment to the Probation Service and its values at local, national and international level. Highly intelligent, hard working and purposeful Sue was well respected by all who worked with her for her ability; her clarity of thought; her first class organisational skills; her integrity and her humanity.
Following her retirement from the West Yorkshire Probation Trust, characteristically Sue remained very active both professionally and in pursuing her other broad ranging interests: the arts, choral singing, travel, gardening, friendships and improving her language skills. Even in the face of her courageous final struggle with an aggressive brain tumour, Sue remained positive and determined to make the most of her life and each and every day to the very end. She was sustained by her intellectual curiosity and optimism, always looking for the positive in life , but most of all by her love and passion for her family, her grandchildren bringing her a particular joy.
Sue’s was a life well lived, sadly prematurely shortened by a cruel illness.
Related News
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.
New
Uncategorized
Newsletter December 2025 out now, featuring the 2026 CEP Activity calendar
18/12/2025
CEP’s latest newsletter is out now! Articles on the CoPPer Final Project Conference, New CEP report: The European Survey of Probation Staff’s Stress and Morale, and more.>> Read here
Reading corner
Criminal Justice
Bridging Research and Practice in Forensic Social Work: An interview with the editors of Forensic Social Work – Supporting Desistance
17/12/2025
Supporting desistance while managing risk is at the heart of criminal justice social work across Europe. In Forensic Social Work – Supporting Desistance, editors Jacqueline Bosker, Anneke Menger and Vivienne de Vogel bring together scientific insights and everyday professional practice to support those working with justice-involved individuals. In this interview, they reflect on the motivation behind the English edition of the book, its core themes, and how professionals can use its tools and approaches in their daily work.
New
Mental Health
Why some court-ordered psychiatric patients remain in prison in Europe
15/12/2025
There is an urgent yet insufficiently recognised human-rights and public-health crisis unfolding across Europe: the systematic imprisonment of mentally ill individuals who have already been assessed by courts or psychiatric professionals as requiring treatment in secure psychiatric hospitals rather than confinement in correctional facilities. Evidence indicates that structural failings—including bed shortages, procedural delays, and fragmented legal and administrative frameworks—have produced a situation in which thousands of vulnerable individuals remain in prison in direct contravention of judicial orders, clinical assessments, and international human-rights obligations. This constitutes a largely invisible mental-health scandal, obscured by inconsistent data collection, political sensitivities, and the general invisibility of people in custody.
New
Partners
Memorandum of Understanding Signed Between CEP and RESCALED
11/12/2025
On 10 December 2025, at the CEP Headquarters in Utrecht, CEP and RESCALED signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The MoU was signed by Rogier Elshout, Chair of Rescaled and Jana Špero Kamenjarin, CEP Secretary General, with the signing ceremony attended by Helen De Vos, Rescaled Executive Director and Daniel Danglades, CEP Vice-President.
Through this partnership, both organizations will work together to develop joint activities, exchange expertise, and support initiatives that advance their shared objectives.
This MoU reflects a commitment to transparent communication and the creation of new opportunities for joint projects and broader community impact.
New
Human rights and ethics
10 December – Human Rights Day
10/12/2025
CEP champions human rights because protecting dignity, fairness and equality is at the heart of effective probation. On 10 December, Human Rights Day, CEP celebrates the principle that everyone deserves respect and justice. Across Europe, CEP promotes social inclusion and supports the reintegration of people in contact with the criminal justice system. CEP strengthens community-based alternatives to imprisonment that reduce reoffending and build safer societies, advances professional and ethical probation practice, and connects practitioners, policymakers and researchers to share knowledge and promote humane justice. For CEP, justice is not only about punishment but also about opportunity, rehabilitation and respect for all.
Recap
CEP Events
Recap: First face-to-face meeting of the Expert Group Chairs
10/12/2025
On 9 December 2025, the CEP Office in Utrecht hosted the first face-to-face meeting of the Expert Group Chairs. The purpose of this meeting was to reintroduce the work of the Expert Groups and explore connections between work plans, opportunities for cooperation, and areas of common interest.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.