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WayOut

The WayOut project – Integrated Exit Programme for Prisons and Probation – is fundamentally aimed at building a common framework to evaluate exit programmes along with the development of an innovative and integrated programme based on proven effectiveness approaches. Ultimately the project will improve and facilitate the implementation of exit programmes across the criminal justice system, namely in prison and probation settings. Hence, this project responds to one of the European Union’s security concerns: the problem of radicalisation leading to violent extremism.  The official project website can be opened via this link.

Objectives

  • To provide a detailed account of the current state of the art in deradicalisation research and other relevant disciplines related to desistance and rehabilitation;
  • To develop a common framework to systematically evaluate exit programmes;
  • To create an integrated programme based on approaches with proven effectiveness;
  • To develop a training course on exit strategies to practitioners;
  • To raise awareness among law enforcement officials about the benefits of implementing such programmes.

Expected outcomes

  • An improved and facilitated implementation of exit programmes that are based on approaches with proven effectiveness;
  • An increased awareness and understanding by the criminal justice professionals (judiciary, prisons, probation, and community organisations) about exit programmes;
  • An improved knowledge about the efficacy of exit programmes and of what works’;
  • A more capable prison staff to deal with inmates at risk of radicalisation or who are already radicalised;
  • Prisons and probation systems will implement the necessary and appropriate tools to analyse existing networks, collect information and develop communication processes between different organisations: community-prison-probation-police-intelligence services;
  • A better understanding of what works in the field of exit strategies at an European level;
  • The lessons learned from the project will feed into the European debate and inform policymakers, obtaining the confidence of judges, prosecutors and all those responsible for adopting these strategies, as well as the community at large.

Promoter

Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès, France

Partners

IPS_Innovative Prison Systems (Qualify Just – IT Solutions and Consulting Ltd), Portugal BSAFE LAB of UBI University, Portugal AVANS University of Applied Sciences – Centre of Expertise for Public Safety and Criminal Justice, The Netherlands De Federale Overheidsdienst Justitie – Le Service Public Federal Justice, Belgium Bremen Senate of Justice and Constitution, Germany Violence Prevention Network EV, Germany

Associated partners

CEP – Confederation of European Probation
EuroPris – European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services

Funding

Home Affairs – European Commission Internal Security Fund

Timeframe

01/12/2018 – 01/3/2021

Partner organisations

Our knowledge of Violent Extremism

The dangers caused by violent extremism in European countries are paramount concerns of the criminal justice system. Prison and probation programs are two working fields where radicalisation, as well as deradicalisation meet. It is therefore important that prison and probation programs play an effective role in preventing violent extremism and raising knowledge regarding (de) radicalisation.
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