Previous Article
News
Looking back on the first CEP International Conference on Sex Offender Management
On the 22nd and 23rd of November 2018, delegates from all over the world gathered in Riga for the first CEP International Conference on Sex Offender Management. It was a very successful first edition. A lot of knowledge sharing and networking was done by the participants during these two days. The conference was organised in close cooperation with the Latvian State Probation and Prison Service.
The conference was officially opened by CEP Secretary General Willem van der Brugge and Imants Jurevičius, Project Manager of the Latvian State Probation Service and CEP Vice-President. After the opening it was time for two plenary presentations. Audrey Alards, chair of the CEP Sex Offender Expert Group, presented the results of a survey that was carried out by the group. Mechtild Höing presented the concept of Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA).
The second part of the first conference day existed of workshops. The participants were split up in four groups and participated in two workshops each.
In the plenary session that followed, Imants Jurevičius and Anvars Zavackis told the participants about the creation of a specialised system for working with sexual offenders in Latvia.
The first day of the conference was concluded with a round table on risk management that was chaired by Kieran McCartan, Programme Manager of the International Conference on Sex Offender Management. He asked the four experts Imants Jurevičius, Wineke Smid, Marianne Fuglestved and Mechtild Höing on their opinions on several risk management related questions.
The programme of the second day included two plenary speeches. Wineke Smids presentation was about the treatment of sex offenders and Marianne Fuglestved told the participants about the Danish supervision model MOSAIK.
Official Launch Circles Europe
Before the start of the programme on the second day of the conference, a special event took place: the official launch of the Circles Europe Association. Riana Taylor, Audrey Alards, Mechtild Höing and Ann Castrel explained to the participants why they set up the organisation, what their main goals are and finished with inviting them to make a donation and become a member of Circles Europe.
For more information about Circles Europe, please visit their website.
Presentations
The presentation that was held by Laura Kuhle during the workshop ”The practicalities of doing risk assessment’ will not be published on the CEP website. The conference reports will be added to this article later on.
Presentation Audrey Alards ‘Presentation of sex offender survey data’
Workshop Kieran McCartan ‘Understanding and re-framing sexual abuse’
Workshop Maggie Brennan ‘Understanding and working with people who use child sexual abuse material’
Presentation Wineke Smid ‘Sex Offender treatment: who, what and how?’
Pictures that are taken during the conference are available on the CEP Facebookpage.
Kieran McCartan, programme manager of the CEP International Conference on Sex Offender Management wrote an interesting article about it on his blog.
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.
Probation Journal
juvenile offenders, Probation in Europe
Overview of Probation Procedures for Juveniles and Adults in Albania
22/07/2026
The Albanian Probation Service plays an important role in the implementation of alternative sanctions and measures for both juveniles and adults. Through supervision, assessment, and rehabilitation-oriented interventions, the Service aims to support compliance with court decisions, reduce the risk of reoffending, and promote the successful reintegration of individuals into society.
Community Sanctions and Measures
Nelson Mandela day
18/07/2026
Nelson Mandela Day reminds us that justice is not only about accountability – it is also about hope. Mandela believed in the dignity of every person and in the possibility of change. These principles are at the heart of probation.
Across Europe, probation professionals work every day to support people in taking responsibility for their actions, rebuilding their lives and successfully reintegrating into their communities. By promoting rehabilitation, social inclusion and human dignity, probation helps reduce reoffending and contributes to safer, more resilient societies.
New
Uncategorized
Applications for the Cambridge MSt in Applied Criminology, Penology and Management open soon
16/07/2026
The MSt in Applied Criminology, Penology and Management (Penology) at the University of Cambridge is designed for senior professionals working in prisons, probation, and related fields. The programme welcomes applicants from the public, private and voluntary sectors, the legal profession, and allied disciplines such as psychology and psychiatry.
New
CEP
Meet Ruth Armstrong, CEP’s new Research Policy Officer
14/07/2026
In early July 2026, Ruth Armstrong joined CEP as a Research Policy Officer. This is a new part-time role supporting the implementation of CEP’s Research and Development Strategy. Working with the Secretary General and the Expert Group on Research, Ruth will coordinate CEP’s research activities, exploring and building partnerships in research between academics and practitioners across Probation in Europe where members access, question and use evidence in their everyday work.
Recap
CJPE summer course, Gender-based violence
She Matters: Advancing Gender-Responsive Criminal Justice Through Cross-Sector Learning in Barcelona.
13/07/2026
From 7 to 10 July 2026, more than 60 criminal justice professionals from across Europe and beyond gathered in Barcelona for the 8th Criminal Justice Platform Europe (CJPE) Summer Course, hosted by the Centre for Legal Studies and Specialised Training (CEJFE) of the Government of Catalonia. Bringing together professionals from probation, restorative justice and prisons, the Summer Course once again demonstrated the unique value of cross-sector learning, international cooperation and professional exchange.
Reading corner
Probation in Europe
Dohľad
08/07/2026
The authentic world of probation and mediation, in which professional work intersects with human destinies, is brought to you by the publication through case studies revealing the diverse life stories of convicts and the dynamics of their relationship with probation and mediation officers.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.