On 25 April 2023, the members of the Expert Group on Technology met in Prague to continue working on the draft practice recommendations regarding technologies in probation. It was the first meeting of the group this year with 9 participants from across the EU present. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Pia Andersson from The Prison and Probation Service of Finland at the premises of the Czech Probation and Mediation Service.
Continuous exchange and sharing of the latest information, developments and trends is essential to the work of the expert groups. After a short introduction, the two presentations delivered by the new members of the group – Ms. Ines Ganahl, Neustart, Austria and Mr. Iason Nachkebia, National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-Custodial Sentences and Probation, Georgia – summarized the state of play in the two respective countries and provided information on the latest developments.
In 2021, Austrian probation agency Neustart launched an app for working with clients called Go NEUSTART. In November 2022 the app was updated on the chat function that enabled smoother communication between a client and probation officer and expanded on the mobile version of the existing web app „Doku“which enables probation officers to work and update documentation on the go.
In 2021 Georgia launched the operation of the PROBBOX which is an innovative device providing electronic control and services to probationers, created by the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-Custodial Sentences and Probation. It is for the first time in Europe that the control of probationers and the provision of their services, along with probation bureaus, has become possible on the premises of other organizations.
The members of the expert group are going to continue working on the draft practice recommendations regarding technologies in probation via online meetings. The next face-to-face meeting is planned to take place in Latvia in 2024.
Download report here.
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.
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.
From 18-20 November 2025, 15th Plenary Meeting of the Council for Penological Co-operation took part in Council of Europe, Strasbourg. CEP was represented by President Annie Devos, Vice-Presidents Danijela Mrhar Prelic (PC-CP member) and Daniel Danglades and Secretary General Jana Spero Kamenjarin.
The CEP Expert Group on Mental Health met on 19 November 2025 to continue its work on developing a European mental health training curriculum for probation officers. Since last year, the group has been working intensively and meticulously to produce a solid first version of the curriculum.
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.
On 12 and 13 November 2025, CEP Secretary General Jana Špero Kamenjarin participated in the Multilateral Meeting on Women in Prison: Advancing Gender-Sensitive Policies and Practices, at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The meeting brought together representatives from 40 member states, penitentiary administrations, and international experts, united by a shared commitment to improving rehabilitation, reducing re-offending, and promoting gender equality in places of deprivation of liberty.
This book, Forensic Social Work – Supporting Desistance, has been released by Routledge. It is a practice-oriented resource exploring how forensic social work can support desistance and foster meaningful change in the lives of justice-involved individuals.
