News
CEP 15th General Assembly and International Conference on Gender-Based Violence in Probation
From 14 to 16 October 2025, Vienna hosted the 15th CEP General Assembly and the CEP International Conference on Gender-Based Violence in Probation: Challenges and Lessons Learned. The event, organized in cooperation with NEUSTART, brought together over 100 CEP members, probation professionals, policymakers, and researchers from across Europe to reflect, exchange experiences, and discuss the topic of gender-based violence from the perspective of probation, restorative justice and prison.
The General Assembly, held in the morning of 15 October, is CEP’s triennial gathering and an important moment for members to review achievements and set the organisation’s direction for the coming years. The agenda included the reflection of the past three years as well as it addressed the years to come, with the strategy and budget approved. New members of the CEP Board including President and Vice-Presidents, were elected and co-opted.
The Assembly followed a welcome reception hosted on the evening of 14 October at the Ministry of Justice in Vienna, where participants were greeted by a representative of the Ministry, NEUSTART and CEP President Annie Devos.
In the afternoon of 15 October, CEP launched the International Conference on Gender-Based Violence in Probation, organised in cooperation with the Austrian member organisation NEUSTART. The conference addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing probation systems today: how to respond effectively to gender-based violence.
The two-day programme featured contributions from European experts, practitioners, and policymakers. Sessions explored European policy priorities on gender-based violence, the Austrian approach to working with GBV-related cases, and the increasing importance of addressing gender-based violence within probation work. Workshops on the second day focused on good practices in rehabilitation, interagency cooperation, and restorative justice and victim-centred perspectives.
The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring experts from several European jurisdictions, who shared national approaches and challenges, followed by closing remarks from CEP President Annie Devos and the CEP Secretary General Jana Spero Kamenjarin.
CEP awards
The evening of 15 October also featured the CEP Awards Ceremony, celebrating outstanding initiatives and contributions to probation across Europe. More information about the award winners can be found here.
Pictures
Reception CEP members – pictures by Markus Hechenberger
Conference on Gender-Based Violence – pictures by Markus Hechenberger + extra pictures conference
Gala dinner – pictures by Markus Hechenberger
Recap video
Presentations
Working with Gender-Based Violence: Austrian model
Dina Nachbaur, NEUSTART, Austria
Gender-Based Violence as Rising Challenge in Europe
Kieran McCartan, CEP Expert Group on Gender-Based Violence, England and Wales
Work with Perpetrators European Network
Berta Vall, Work With Perpetrators EN, Catalonia-Spain
Workshop A: Good Practices: Clients in Probation-Based Rehabilitation Programs for Gender-Based Violence
Jan Vrkoc, The National Working Group for Offender Related Programmes in Cases of Domestic Violence, Germany
Workshop A: Good Practices: Clients in Probation-Based Rehabilitation Programs for Gender-Based Violence
Saskia Pagell, Ministry of Social Affairs of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Workshop B Interagency Cooperation regarding GBV-related Probation Clients: Working Together for Better Results
Endika Biota, Basque Penalty Management Service, Basque Country-Spain
Workshop B Interagency Cooperation regarding GBV-related Probation Clients: Working Together for Better Results
Jako Salla, Prison and Probation Service, Estonia
Workshop C Restorative Justice and Victim-Centered Perspectives of GBV
Edit Törzs, European Forum for Restorative Justice, Belgium
Workshop C Restorative Justice and Victim-Centered Perspectives of GBV
Marta Ferrer, Generalitat de Catalunya, Catalonia-Spain
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.
Framework Decisions
Recap: annual meeting of the Expert Network on Framework Decisions 829 and 947
09/11/2026
On Thursday 5 November an annual meeting of the Expert Network on Framework Decisions 829 and 947 took place online. Bringing together 20 participants from 12 EU jurisdictions including representatives of the Academy of European Law and European Judicial Network, the meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss current implementation challenges and identify priorities for enhancing cross-border cooperation in the application of the two Framework Decisions.
Education and Training, Probation in Europe
Justice programme: the judicial training call is open for applications!
09/11/2026
Are you ready to help address the training needs of justice professionals from different EU countries in the fields of civil law, criminal law and fundamental rights? This call supports cross-border training projects contributing to the effective and consistent application of EU law. In line with the new European Judicial Training Strategy, the call also supports the digitalisation of justice. Don’t miss this opportunity! Apply by 4 March 2027, 17:00 Brussels time.
CEP Board, Foreign Nationals in Prison and Probation, Probation in Europe
CEP at the 16th Plenary Meeting of the Council for Penological Co-operation
06/11/2026
From 3 to 5 November 2026, representatives of the Confederation of European Probation (CEP) participated in the 16th Plenary Meeting of the Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP).
CEP
Newsletter October 2026 out now
29/10/2026
CEP’s latest newsletter is out now! It includes:
- Deadline approaching for the Workshop on Technology and Alternatives to Detention
- Recap of the 14th EM and CEP Excellence Leadership Training
- New publications from Expert Groups on Technology and Expert Group on Violent Extremism
- Call for Proposals: Evaluation of CEP Expert Groups
- Engaging with Research – a new section in our newsletter
- and much more!
Violent Extremism
Understanding Youth Radicalisation: What Can Probation Services Do? | New Report from CEP’s Expert Group
27/10/2026
In recent decades, the violent radicalisation of juveniles and young adults has become a pressing concern for policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and communities worldwide. While considerable attention has been devoted to psychological vulnerabilities, socio-economic marginalisation, and community-level influences, the broader context in which violent radicalisation develops is often overlooked. At the same time, the increasing involvement of young people in violent extremist offences highlights the urgent need for effective prevention efforts. Addressing youth radicalisation has become a complex and evolving challenge for families, educators, mental health professionals, law enforcement agencies, probation services, and security authorities.
Probation in Europe
Reflections on the European Society of Criminology Conference 2026 | From Criminological Research to Probation Practice
26/10/2026
At CEP, we are fascinated by research from across Europe and beyond, and by helping it reach the people who can use it. Ruth Armstrong, CEP Research and Policy Officer, went to the 26th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology (EuroCrim 2026 – Working Group on Community Sanctions and Measures) that took place in Warsaw, Poland, from 9–12 September 2026.
Against a backdrop of overcrowded prisons and net-widening (with ever more people drawn into supervision), three questions kept coming up in the research: how time shapes justice, what we mean by success, and how we define harm.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
"*" indicates required fields
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.







