The Covid 19 pandemic is a global emergency the likes of which few, if any, of us has experienced or seen before. It has affected every country and community and has obliged us to change how we live and work. For CEP it is no different: all conferences and events in the coming period have been cancelled or deferred.
We all need to take steps to reduce close human contact. That is how the virus is spread. Not just at public gatherings or public places but also in our own homes… places of leisure and work.
During this pandemic it is important to follow and comply with the advice and guidance provided by your national authorities and trusted sources to keep not only our personnel and persons subject to our supervision safe but also the wider community.
Technology can help in maintaining communication and contact not only in our members’ work with people on supervision but also in sharing knowledge, innovation and positive initiatives with each other. CEP will continue to support and facilitate communications with members and the wider community through its website, newsletters and social media.
CEP is eager to hear how your organization deals with this difficult situation and how it keeps the work going under so many restrictions. A special page is created where we will publish information from other countries on how they are dealing with this situation and which measures thave been taken to keep things going and under control.
Therefore: if there is anything you wish to share please write to secr@cep-probation.org and join us in keeping the probation network alive!
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.
