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.
The authors undertook this research to address a clear gap in European knowledge. While burnout in probation has been widely discussed, there has been little comparative evidence on how different systems organise prevention, support their staff, and monitor well-being. The study responds directly to this need and aligns with the growing attention across Europe to the mental health of criminal justice professionals.
Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and an organisational survey completed by directors in twenty two jurisdictions, the report brings together individual experiences of stress with a detailed look at how organisations structure prevention and support. The findings show moderate levels of burnout across the sample, with only one third of staff classified as engaged. Crucially, the data demonstrates that staff morale is strongly associated with organisational design rather than individual factors alone.
The report identifies three clusters of organisational practice: advanced systems with well-established prevention and recovery structures, emerging systems with partial provision, and minimal systems where support remains informal. Countries with more formalised policies, routine training, confidential support, and structured reintegration were also those with higher staff engagement and fewer burnout cases.
This study offers an important message for all probation services. Staff well-being improves when it is embedded in governance, monitored regularly, and supported through clear structures rather than left to individual resilience. The report encourages jurisdictions to strengthen workload policies, enhance communication, expand access to mental health support, and build a routine infrastructure for listening to staff needs.
CEP invites members to read both the summary and the full report, which provide a comprehensive foundation for strengthening staff well-being across Europe.
The European survey of probation staff’s stress and morale
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.
The 13th Electronic Monitoring (EM) conference Questionnaire has now been released, offering a comprehensive overview of how EM is applied across Europe today.ion.
In recent weeks, CEP has interviewed individual members and representatives of the new member organisations that joined CEP at the beginning of 2026. In these interviews, the new member organisations or individual members will share information on why they decided to become members, how they would like to contribute to the development of CEP and many more.
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Confederation of European Probation (CEP) and American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) hosted the second joint webinar on 24 March 2026, this time on “Integrity of Performance: Ensuring Meaningful and Ethical Outcomes”.
The overarching theme of integrity of performance was explored through two distinct perspectives on this fundamental concept.
On Thursday 19 March, CEP hosted the second webinar of 2026 on the topic of Alternatives to Detention. The session led by Dr. Gabriela Slovakova from the Czech Probation and Mediation Service titled „Opening Doors to Second Chances: The Mission and Impact of Yellow Ribbon Run“ introduced the Yellow Ribbon project with a powerful message of second chances and fair opportunities.
During the General Assembly in Austria, a new CEP Board got elected for the upcoming three years. In the coming weeks we will publish interviews with all newly-elected board members where they will share information on their professional background, how they would like to contribute, what challenges lie ahead and many more.
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On 12–13 March 2026, the Expert Group on Violent Extremism convened for an in‑person meeting in Bucharest, Romania. Hosted at the University of Bucharest, the meeting brought together practitioners and representatives from across Europe to finalise the overview of best practices for preventive interventions targeting juveniles and young adults up to the age of 26 under probation. Building on the extensive discussions and progress made in 2025, the group worked collaboratively to bring the document to completion.
