Skip to content
Back to news

News

Recap: Conference on Public Perception of Probation

From 6 to 7 May, the CEP Conference on the Public Perception of Probation in Europe took place in Antalya, Türkiye, bringing together over 100 participants from more than 20 countries. The event offered space for open discussion, exchange of experiences, and practical ideas on how probation is seen and supported across Europe.

Getting Started in Antalya

The conference began on Monday evening with a welcome reception at the Turkish Prison & Probation Training Center, where participants had the chance to meet, reconnect, and ease into the programme. It was a relaxed start to what turned out to be two busy and engaging days.

Opening Day – 6 May

Tuesday started with opening speeches from:

  • Mr. Enis Yavuz Yıldırım, Director General of Prisons and Detention Houses (Türkiye)

  • Ms. Annie Devos, CEP President (Belgium)

  • Mr. Niyazi Acar, Deputy Minister of Justice (Türkiye)

They welcomed participants and reflected on the importance of international cooperation in building stronger probation services.

The morning plenary sessions followed. Mr. Fatih Güngör (Türkiye) talked about how probation is viewed in Türkiye, including both legal and social aspects. Then, Ms. Ingunn Seim (Norway), Dr. Danijela Mrhar Prelič (Slovenia), and Mr. Daniel Danglades (France) shared how probation is organised and understood in their countries.

In the afternoon, two workshops took place at the same time:

  • Workshop A, led by Dr. Prelič, focused on working with other professionals in the justice field. She was joined by Ms. Annie Devos (Belgium) and Dr. Hüseyin Şık (Türkiye).

  • Workshop B, chaired by Mr. Danglades, looked at how probation services communicate with the general public. It featured examples from Dr. Andrea Matouskova (Czech Republic) and Mr. Joachim Tein (Germany).

The first day wrapped up with a lot of input and food for thought.

Final Day – 7 May

Wednesday’s programme opened with a plenary session on how the idea and practice of probation has changed over time. Speakers Mr. Gerry McNally (Ireland), Mr. Vugar Aghayev (Azerbaijan), and Assoc. Prof. Hakan A. Yavuz (Türkiye) gave examples from their national contexts and looked at what has influenced these changes.

After that, a roundtable focused on how to promote probation and raise public awareness. The discussion included perspectives from Ms. Annie Devos, Dr. Andrea Matouskova, Dr. Hüseyin Şık, Mr. Joachim Tein, and Ms. Ingunn Seim.

To close the event, Prof. Fergus McNeill (UK) gave a thoughtful talk on the role of communities in probation, reminding us of its origins and the importance of public engagement.

Thank You

A big thank you to everyone who joined us in Antalya. Your ideas, openness, and shared experiences helped make the event meaningful and productive.

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Presentations

Click here to go to the presentations

Photos

Click here to the photos made by The Turkish host

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

CEP-Europris, Probation in Europe

Recap of CEP and EuroPris Meeting with Catalan Authorities

04/12/2025

On 3 December, on the occasion of the joint CEP and EuroPris Workshop on Transition from Prison to Probation held at the Centre for Legal Studies and Judicial Training (CEJFE) in Barcelona, representatives from both international organisations met with senior officials from the Catalan Ministry of Justice to present their current work, reflect on ongoing cooperation, and explore shared priorities for future collaboration.

Recap

CEP-Europris

Workshop on Transition from Prison to Probation: Continuity of Care and Control

03/12/2025

On 2–3 December 2025, 71 participants from 22 European countries and jurisdictions attended the Workshop on Transition from Prison to Probation: Continuity of Care and Control, jointly organized by CEP and EuroPris. The two-day workshop aimed to explore strategies for ensuring continuity of care and control during the transition from prison to probation.

Recap

Research

Recap: online Expert Group meeting on Research

02/12/2025

On Friday, 28 November 2025, the annual meeting of the Expert Group on Research took place online.

Probation Journal

Domestic violence, Gender-based violence

New evaluation on whole family approach to domestic abuse

26/11/2025

Interventions Alliance has published a new evaluation of a Hub coordinated on behalf of police forces in the south of England, focused on tackling violence against women and children through a whole family approach. The Hub supports victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse and works across policing, health and social services.

New

Probation in Europe

New EU Judicial Training Strategy 2025-2030 adopted

26/11/2025

New updates from the European Commission highlight key priorities for judicial training in Europe, alongside new tools supporting transparency and access to data.

New

Gender-based violence

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls

25/11/2025

Today, 25 November, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. It is a global reminder, recognised by UNESCO and the wider international community, of the urgent need to prevent violence, support those affected by it, and strengthen collective action. The day also opens the 16 Days of Activism, a worldwide campaign that calls for sustained engagement to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!

  • Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.