On Wednesday, 19 March 2025 the second Croatian Yellow Ribbon Run was held in Zagreb. This run was organised under the moto “Escape Prejudice!” by Croatian Ministry of Justice, Administration and Digital Transformation, Directorate for the Prison System and Probation and with the support of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.
The goal was to raise awareness among the public and highlight the importance of community support in the rehabilitation and resocialization of persons with a criminal past.
CEP was represented by Jana Špero Kamenjarin, CEP Secretary General and Danijela Mrhar Prelić, CEP Board member. At the race, there were many international participants from different European countries, including Ms. Gabriela Slovakova, Director of Yellow Ribbon in the Czech Republic.
The race was attended by 350 participants including the Minister and officials of the Croatian Ministry of Justice, Administration and Digital Transformation, the Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway and delegation from Norway, persons deprived of their liberty, offenders on probation, officials of penal institutions, probation officers, judges and court officials, prominent athletes, members of the academic community, representatives of non-governmental organizations and other community stakeholders.
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.
From 18-20 November 2025, 15th Plenary Meeting of the Council for Penological Co-operation took part in Council of Europe, Strasbourg. CEP was represented by President Annie Devos, Vice-Presidents Danijela Mrhar Prelic (PC-CP member) and Daniel Danglades and Secretary General Jana Spero Kamenjarin.
The CEP Expert Group on Mental Health met on 19 November 2025 to continue its work on developing a European mental health training curriculum for probation officers. Since last year, the group has been working intensively and meticulously to produce a solid first version of the curriculum.
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.
