Skip to content

News

CEP Ambassador, Steve Pitts, in Japan

In his capacity as the CEP Ambassador, Mr. Steve Pitts had the privilege of presenting a public lecture this year at the Ministry of Justice in Tokyo, Japan. The event was hosted by UNAFEI (United Nations Asia and Far East Institute), JCPS (Japan Criminal Policy Society), and ACPF (Asia Crime Prevention Foundation). The lecture delved into the exploration of stronger probation practices and capacity through international collaboration. Following the lecture, Mr. Pitts engaged in insightful and inspiring discussions with participants from various countries, addressing challenges and steps in establishing alternatives to imprisonment.

Subsequently, Mr. Pitts found great pleasure and energy in meeting with Japanese volunteers (Hogoshi) at the temple of Mr. Komine. He listened to inspiring stories of their work in Japan and exchanged notes with European volunteer practices in preparation for the 2nd World Congress on Community Volunteers, scheduled to be held concurrently with the World Congress on Probation and Parole in The Hague in April.

Temple visit: front row left to right: Hogoshi Kikuko Kinoshima, Hogoshi Toshikazu Ishizaki, Stephen Pitts, Professor Naoki Tanaka and Hogoshi Tatsumaru Komine -Back row left to right: Hogoshi Yuko Mitsuhashi, Professor Yuho Furukawa and Hogoshi Shigeko Imai

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.

Recap

Probation outside Europe

Governance Oversight and Accountability Mechanisms in Probation and Parole: Compare and Contrast Europe and USA

19/09/2025

Confederation of European Probation (CEP) and American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) organized an insightful webinar that introduced the theme “Governance oversight and accountability mechanisms in Probation and Parole. Compare and contrast Europe and USA”. This event took place on Thursday, 18 September 2025.

Recap

CEP Events, Framework Decisions

Recap: Expert Workshop on Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA and 2009/829/JHA

16/09/2025

The Expert Workshop held on September 10–11, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium, brought together senior managers, probation practitioners, criminal justice professionals such as lawyers and prosecutors from across Europe as well as representatives of the European Commission, Academy of European Law and European Judicial Network to discuss the advancements in the implementation of Framework Decisions 2008/947/JHA and 2009/829/JHA. Hosted at the Houses of Justice, the CEP Expert Workshop served as a dynamic platform for mutual learning, collaboration, and strategic planning.

New

Probation in Europe

New Vodcast Episode: Katharina Heitz on the Ressources-Risk-Inventory in Probation

11/09/2025

The 14th episode of Division_Y features Katharina Heitz, Head of the Central Department for Social Work at the Public Probation and Parole Service Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Recap

CEP Board, Probation in Europe

CEP at ESC 2025: Penal Policy Transfer and Ageing in Prison in Focus

08/09/2025

The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) had a strong presence at the 25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology (EUROCRIM 2025), held in Athens from 3 to 6 September 2025. As one of Europe’s largest gatherings of criminologists, the ESC annual conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world to exchange knowledge on crime, justice, and social responses. This year’s theme was “Logos of Crime and Punishment,” inspired by classical Greek philosophy.

Probation in Europe, Technology

Have Your Say: EU Call for Evidence on the Digitalisation of Justice (2025–2030)

18/08/2025

The European Commission has opened a Call for Evidence on the Digitalisation of Justice: 2025–2030 European Judicial Training Strategy.

Reading corner

Criminal Justice

Parole Futures

18/08/2025

At a time when many parole systems are experiencing considerable strain, the aims of this collection are twofold: first, to encourage systematic and critical reflection on the rationalities, institutions and practices of parole. Second, to think big, and pose ambitious ‘what if’ questions about the possible futures of parole and prison release. Offering novel insights from Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, this collection builds the case for, and then showcases, a ‘way of doing’ parole research that is global in outlook, interdisciplinary in approach and unapologetically normative in character.

Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!