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The impact of Covid-19 on Circles of Support and Accountability, Circles Europe, Research Commitee

Circles of Support and Accountability [CoSA] are groups of trained community volunteers who support people convicted of a sexual offence susually contact offences against children) to integrate back into the community post-release. CoSA programs operate on thesss premise that by providing recently-released Core Members (people convicted of a sexual offence, CM) with a Circle of 4 -5 community volunteers who provide both practical support and accountability, they will be better equipped to lead law-abiding lives in the community. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the usual face-to-face sessions were not possible.

AIMS OF THE RESEARCH

This research looks to investigate the impact that COVID-19, mainly social distancing and remote working, has had on CoSA provision and providers in Europe, the USA, and Canada and the potential impact of the pandemic on Circle processes moving forward.

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As we begin the new year, we would like to thank all CEP members, partners, and participants for your continued engagement and valuable contributions. Your involvement plays an essential role in shaping CEP’s work and activities.

We are pleased to share the CEP calendar for 2026, which provides an overview of the events planned for the year ahead. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and welcoming you to upcoming CEP activities throughout the year.

Thank you for being part of the CEP community.

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Interventions Alliance’s Eden House Recognized as Outstanding

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CEP is delighted to share that Eden House, an Interventions Alliance residential service for women with high-risk or complex needs on probation, has been rated “Outstanding” overall by HM Inspectorate of Probation. In 2022, Eden House was honored with the CEP Public Protection Award. Our sincere congratulations to the team for this remarkable achievement.

 

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The Judicial Training Dashboard

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Technology

Communication on DigitalJustice@2030

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The EU’s competitiveness will increasingly depend on the digitalisation of all sectors, which will drive investment. Digitalisation and the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) will be essential to the ability of public authorities to deliver high-quality public services, notably also in the field of justice. Europe’s Digital Decade is underway with the ambition that by 2030 the EU has all key public services available online. The ultimate aim will be to increase the efficiency of public services by making them digital by default, stimulating productivity.

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Webinar on Alternatives to Detention – CEP Webinar Series 2026

13/01/2026

CEP is pleased to invite you to the first webinar in the CEP Webinar Series 2026, taking place on Thursday, 22 January 2026, at 14:00 CET. This webinar will introduce a unique programme developed by the Meuse Probation Service, which was awarded the CEP Award 2025 in the category of Rehabilitation and Social Inclusion (The Sue Hall Award).

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