News
CEP member visit to the Basque country
On 5th and 6th of July, CEP Secretary General Jana Spero visited a new CEP member organisation – The Penitentiary Administration of the Basque Country.
During the visit, Ms Spero presented the Confederation of European Probation, its organisation, actions and activities.

Mr. Eugenio Artetxe Palomar, Justice General Director from the Department of Equality, Justice and Social Policies of
Basque Country, Judge Jaime Tapia, the Basque Government’s advisor for penitentiary policy and Mr. Pablo Maria Martinez Larburu, manager of the Prison management programme, who were the host of the visit, explained the situation regarding the probation service in Basque Country. It was also discussed how to include representatives of Basque Bountry to different CEP activities and CEP events, but also the possibility to organise events in Basque Country in upcoming years.

Secretary General visited the Probation office in Bilbao, an NGO „Instituto de Reintegration Social de Euskadi”, where she heard about alternative sanctions and measures taking part in the community. Representatives of the NGO explained the different treatment programmes they offer when working with different groups of offenders.

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.

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.

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.

Probation in Europe
New Vodcast Episode: Prof. Bernd Maelicke on The Prison-Dilemma
12/08/2025
The 13th episode of Division_Y features an in-depth conversation with Prof. Bernd Maelicke, one of Germany’s most respected voices in prison and probation reform.

Probation outside Europe
CEP Ambassador Steve Pitts Receives Prestigious Japanese Honour
05/08/2025
We are pleased to share that CEP Ambassador Steve Pitts has been awarded the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette by the Government of Japan. The honour was officially presented on 25th July 2025 at a formal ceremony held at the Japanese Ambassador‘s residence in London, hosted by the Japanese Ambassador.

CEP Events
Mark Your Calendars: Exciting Probation Events Ahead
30/07/2025
As the season continues, we’re looking ahead to a dynamic line-up of events across Europe. From specialised workshops to international training and conferences, there’s something valuable for everyone working in probation and beyond.

Probation in Europe
New Vodcast Episode: Tobias Merckle on Free Forms of Juvenile Detention
12/07/2025
The 12th episode of Division_Y features an engaging discussion with Tobias Merckle, a social worker and social entrepreneur from Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
"*" indicates required fields
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.