Previous Article
News
Recap: CEP workshop on gender-based violence in Probation
On 29 November 2023, CEP organized the 2nd Edition of the Workshop on gender-based violence in Probation. The workshop was held at the Centre for Legal Studies and Specialized Training in Barcelona.
The workshop was attended by 35 participants from 16 different jurisdictions who came together to understand and discuss the question of how to respond appropriately to gender-based violence in Probation.
The workshop covered the topic from the perspective of probation and other criminal justice professionals including offenders and victims. At this workshop effective and efficient ways of preventing and working with offenders were presented, also programmes used to prevent gender–based violence in probation and to support the treatment process were discussed. The challenge of assessing the outcome of intervention programmes was also presented.
A Round table session held a close and interesting discussion on “How do we work transnationally on gender-based violence”.
The workshop had a special guest, a subjective experience of a person who experienced child and adult domestic violence and shared her life experience and recovery with participants. Lynn Harris is now the founder and Managing Company Director of a social enterprise in Glasgow, Scotland called No Feart CIC. Lynn and her team facilitate psychoeducational and recovery programs for men, women and teens separately via group work in the community and/or online. Different intervention programs have been written by Lynn as a result of her experiences from childhood and adult abuse, her recovery and work studies from 2009.
Presentations
- European overview on Gender-based violence in Probation – Professor Kieran McCartan, University West England Bristol, United Kingdom.
- Lessons learned over the past two decades in preventing child sexual abuse in Latvia – Ms Janeta Bokaldere, Head of Counseling department at Centre for a Safe Childhood “Dardedze”, Latvia.
- Help-seeking behaviour in people at risk for sexual abuse: how can we install and promote secondary prevention measures? – Professor Katarzyna Uzieblo, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium.
- Working with gender-based violence offenders: Gakoa and Aldatuz programs – Mr Endika Biota, Psychologist at Basque Country Penalty Management Service, Basque Country, Spain.
- Overcoming the challenge of assessing the outcome of perpetrator programmes: The Impact Outcome Monitoring Toolkit – Ms Berta Vall, Research and Development Manager at European Network for Work with Perpetrators.
- Compassionate Vision Within – Personal experience – Ms Lynn Harris, Founder and Managing Company Director at No Feart CIC, Glasgow, Scotland.
Pictures
Interviews
Ms Marta Ferrer
Professor Kieran McCartan
Mr Endika Biota
Ms Berta Vall
Ms Lynn Harris
Report
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.
Recap
Probation outside Europe
Governance Oversight and Accountability Mechanisms in Probation and Parole: Compare and Contrast Europe and USA
19/09/2025
Confederation of European Probation (CEP) and American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) organized an insightful webinar that introduced the theme “Governance oversight and accountability mechanisms in Probation and Parole. Compare and contrast Europe and USA”. This event took place on Thursday, 18 September 2025.
Recap
CEP Events, Framework Decisions
Recap: Expert Workshop on Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA and 2009/829/JHA
16/09/2025
The Expert Workshop held on September 10–11, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium, brought together senior managers, probation practitioners, criminal justice professionals such as lawyers and prosecutors from across Europe as well as representatives of the European Commission, Academy of European Law and European Judicial Network to discuss the advancements in the implementation of Framework Decisions 2008/947/JHA and 2009/829/JHA. Hosted at the Houses of Justice, the CEP Expert Workshop served as a dynamic platform for mutual learning, collaboration, and strategic planning.
New
Probation in Europe
New Vodcast Episode: Katharina Heitz on the Ressources-Risk-Inventory in Probation
11/09/2025
The 14th episode of Division_Y features Katharina Heitz, Head of the Central Department for Social Work at the Public Probation and Parole Service Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Recap
CEP Board, Probation in Europe
CEP at ESC 2025: Penal Policy Transfer and Ageing in Prison in Focus
08/09/2025
The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) had a strong presence at the 25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology (EUROCRIM 2025), held in Athens from 3 to 6 September 2025. As one of Europe’s largest gatherings of criminologists, the ESC annual conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world to exchange knowledge on crime, justice, and social responses. This year’s theme was “Logos of Crime and Punishment,” inspired by classical Greek philosophy.
Probation in Europe, Technology
Have Your Say: EU Call for Evidence on the Digitalisation of Justice (2025–2030)
18/08/2025
The European Commission has opened a Call for Evidence on the Digitalisation of Justice: 2025–2030 European Judicial Training Strategy.
Reading corner
Criminal Justice
Parole Futures
18/08/2025
At a time when many parole systems are experiencing considerable strain, the aims of this collection are twofold: first, to encourage systematic and critical reflection on the rationalities, institutions and practices of parole. Second, to think big, and pose ambitious ‘what if’ questions about the possible futures of parole and prison release. Offering novel insights from Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America, this collection builds the case for, and then showcases, a ‘way of doing’ parole research that is global in outlook, interdisciplinary in approach and unapologetically normative in character.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.