Previous Article
News
A new born Romanian Program – STOP the road traffic offences
In these times, more than ever, we are trying to do our best to preserve our safety and the spirit of probation work, to keep on polishing our skills and pro-social attitudes and, above all, to keep alive our determination and our probationers’ motivation. For this reason we are focused on the positive aspects of our practices, but at the same time trying to find the best way to disseminate these aspects through the current communication channels, in order to maintain our staff and probationers’ safety. In this philosophy, we don`t put aside our work – on the contrary, we are continuing to develop alternatives ways to perform probation activities such as a newly established intervention program – STOP the road traffic offences – to support the reintegration of people who have committed road traffic offences, people who are registered in the databases of our 42 local probation offices.
European statistics
According to European statistics, Romania is still on the black list regarding the high number of road victims per 1 million of inhabitants. As a consequence, Romanian probation is on the top of the list for numbers of road traffic offences among the total number of probationers. In January 2020, over 32,000 probationers were under the supervision of the probation counsellors, due to a road traffic offence. The seed of our new program was initially `planted` by the local services, starting with Cluj Probation Service (in the middle of Romania – Transylvania region), who developed such activities in collaboration with the local traffic police. Collecting these experiences, the probation inspectors from the Methodological and Training Department and from Research and Strategic Development Department of the Romanian National Probation Directorate, together with probation counsellors and representatives from police and non-governmental organizations working with road traffic victims, designed a flexible but multimodal program.
A new intervention program
The need to develop a new intervention program in this area of practice was the fact that currently the Romanian probation system is successfully running the Drink & Drive program addressing the problematic behaviour in traffic, more specifically driving while intoxicated – and therefore not covering all road traffic related offenses. STOP the road traffic offences is designed to be applied by mixed teams of program tutors: probation counsellors, traffic police officers, prevention criminality analysts and other professionals from the community interested in reducing the risk of accidents on public roads. The program has a modular structure that allows the intervention to be adapted to various criminogenic needs of the probationers, being structured on a basic module and then one or more optional ones. The program can be carried out, if necessary, depending on the particularities of the cases by decision of the probation counsellor case manager or at the request of the supervised person. Options can be to deeper analyse the offence, get closer to the victim’s perspective, perform reparatory actions for victims and community, follow more road traffic courses, or learn about preventive driving. Some of these optional modules provided for the program could be developed if there are such opportunities at the local community level.
Support participants
The basic module is mandatory and contains of 4 sessions that aim to support participants to obtain information regarding the traffic legislation, to analyse and understand the mechanisms of behaviour and the decisional process on the roads, to be aware of the favourable factors for crimes related to road traffic safety and develop the ability to control such factors – all these with the aim to reduce the risk of recidivism. The entire program has an interactive atmosphere with various short films, scenes from traffic, real experiences of ex-probationers to be analysed and discussed in a neutral manner such as traffic events, and then in a subjective one, from the personal point of view of the members of the group and with a focus on their own offences. In a short period of time (19 August – 7 October 2020), in the “new normal”, we succeeded to deliver 6 online training sessions and 3 face-to-face training sessions – always keeping the necessary safety arrangements, for 135 probation counsellors from all our 42 counties, who are now piloting the program. The emotions and fears experienced in the uncertainty (a new program designed in-house and delivered through new ways of communication) were counterbalanced by the good interactivity during the trainings, by the interest in learning and using this program and by the enthusiasm of doing our work during such difficult times.
We promise to return with news, impressions, and results after the stage of piloting the program that should unroll with caution and care for our staff and our probationers’ safety.
Article written by Ramona Lăcrămioara Bălăiță
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.