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About us

What we do

CEP promotes pan-European cooperation by organising conferences, workshops, expert groups and network meetings and webinars on actual topics in probation. By making the reports of these events available, by publishing its digital newsletter and through its website, CEP stimulates the exchange of ideas on probation. CEP is also spokesperson for probation sector at the European Bodies – Council of Europe and European Commission.

In this way CEP makes an important contribution to the development of community sanctions and measures in Europe and beyond.

Projects

Upcoming events

Expert groups and Networks

Projects

Discover the various projects CEP is involved in, both ongoing and completed. Below you will find detailed information about our initiatives aimed at advancing probation and community sanctions across Europe.

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Ongoing

ERA project

Prison population rates within the EU still differentiate greatly from Member State to Member State, with the highest numbers still registered in the majority of newer Member States that joined after 2004. There is also a varying picture when it comes to the application of non-custodial sanctions and measures throughout the EU’s Member States, with there being a clear need to increase awareness about such alternative measures and their application amongst relevant practitioners in many Member States.

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Ongoing
Ongoing

EMPRO project

EMPRO project
(Empowerment of the Framework Decisions 2008/947 and 2009/829 through EU Probation Services)

EMPRO aims to significantly strengthen the understanding and application of FD 2008/947 and 2009/829 within the European Union. It is further aligned with the overarching goals of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, contributing to a more humane and effective rehabilitation process. This encompasses highlighting the specific needs and rights of foreign nationals involved in pre-trial and post-trial phases, ensuring that justice and rehabilitation practices are equitable, effective, and respectful of fundamental rights.

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Ongoing
Ongoing

CoPPer Project

The Cooperation to Promote a European Volunteering Programme in Probation Services (CoPPer) project aims to create and improve social models that support the values of European unity and solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. It responds to the EU Strategic Agenda 2019-2024 by promoting the active engagement of citizens and civil society as supporters in the social inclusion of offenders and ensuring that we all play our role as key guarantors of a common European culture of the rule of law and democracy.

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Ongoing
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Upcoming events

Stay informed about our upcoming events and opportunities for professional development. Join us at workshops and conferences to connect with experts and peers in the field of probation.

All Events
This event is upon invitation only
Workshop
Framework Decisions

Expert Workshop on Framework Decision 2008/JHA/947 and 2009/JHA/829

10 Sep 2025
11 Sep 2025
Brussels, Belgium
One of the long-term activities which CEP has supported and closely cooperated on with the European Commission is the promotion and implementation of the relevant EU instruments. Over the years, CEP has worked to increase awareness among probation professionals in national criminal justice systems of FDs 947&829.
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This event is upon invitation only
Registration deadline: 15-09-2025
Training
ITSCCS

International Training School on Core Correctional Skills 2025

29 Sep 2025
03 Oct 2025
Barcelona, Spain
Effective leadership in probation and parole is vital for rehabilitation, public safety, and social reintegration. Leaders influence policy and foster community partnerships. A discussion with prominent figures from Europe and the U.S. will explore the future of probation and parole, emphasizing innovation and a community-focused approach to justice.
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Registration deadline: 15-09-2025
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Expert groups and Networks

Expert groups are networks of European specialists in fields related to probation, which operate under the wings of CEP. These groups are platforms for discussion and knowledge exchange on specific topics and are composed of experts from universities, probation organisations, our expert register and the CEP secretariat. Most of the Expert Groups do not consist of permanent members, except of the one on the topic of foreign nationals.

Communication and Awareness-Raising

The aim of this expert group is to support jurisdictions in navigating their own stories and shifting the narrative towards a more balanced and informed perspective taking into account stereotypes and misconceptions probation services often face, promoting transparent communication, sharing success stories and initiatives, improving public perception, enhancing community awareness as well as fostering collaboration across borders by exchanging experience, challenges, and innovative solutions learning from successful communication and awareness-raising initiatives implemented across Europe.
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Electronic Monitoring

Considering importance of EM for CEP members, starting from 2024, former EM prep-group that was planning and organizing biannual EM CEP conferences, was transformed into expert group. The group will be planning and organizing future CEP EM conferences but will also provide activities / information in the year when we do not have EM conference.
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Education and Training

In a context of a rapid development of the criminal justice field and the growing importance of probation measures as more effective and with less economic cost, the training of Probation professionals has become crucial and challenging. In addition, the transfer of probation supervision orders between Member States has emphasised the need for comparable and equivalent practice across jurisdictions. In these circumstances, it is important to share knowledge and training expertise across Europe, train probation staff as specialized professionals and to share good practices, training methodologies and materials to assure quality training and practice.
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Mental Health

European probation services nowadays are faced with large numbers of people with mental health problems. Research has shown that the prevalence of various mental health problems among probationers is relatively high when compared to the general population. It is important to identify those who are sentenced for other crimes, but possibly have mental health problems. It is also essential that mental health needs of people who have offended are given a higher priority in terms of service delivery, education, staff straining and research, because working on mental health issues is also a way of reducing crime and especially recidivism.
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Technology

Technology in probation has been rapidly changing and expanding as well. Nowadays, technologies such as artificial intelligence, electronic monitoring, smart apps and virtual reality are used by probation officers in their daily work. Something we could have never thought of a couple of years ago.
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Violent Extremism

Addressing the dangers posed by violent extremism in European countries is a primary concern of the criminal justice system. Prison and probation programs are key areas where radicalization and deradicalization intersect. In December 2016, CEP invited a number of experts in the field of violent extremism from different European countries to attend the very first expert group meeting on radicalisation and violent extremism.
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Research

Over recent years, CEP has begun to develop engagement with researchers, research institutions and projects. During the term of the previous CEP Board membership by third-level institutions was promoted and a representative was co-opted to the CEP. Research, quality assurance and evaluation are key elements in the development of better practice, better and more effective service provision, and improved outcomes for all stakeholders.
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Gender-based Violence

According to the Council of Europe definition, Gender-based violence is violence directed against a person or group of people because of their factual or perceived sex, gender, sexual orientation and/or gender identity and that affects persons of a particular gender disproportionately (mainly women and girls but it can affect also men and boys). Gender-based violence can be sexual, physical, verbal, psychological (emotional), or socio-economic and it can take many forms, from verbal violence and hate speech on the Internet, to rape or murder. It can be perpetrated by anyone: a current or former spouse/partner, a family member, a colleague from work, schoolmates, friends, an unknown person, or people who act on behalf of cultural, religious, state, or intra-state institutions. Although women and girls are the main victims of GBV, it also causes severe harm to families and communities.
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Caseload and workload

The 2022 evaluation audit on caseload and workload recognized that excessive workloads threaten the effectiveness and quality of probation work; have negative impacts on the experience and treatment of offenders, mental health and well-being of probation staff. The size of the community sanctions caseload is determined by many factors that lie beyond the control of probation bodies but reflect the broader penal and economic climate.
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Foreign Nationals in Prison and Probation

One country’s foreign national prisoner is another country’s citizen imprisoned abroad. This dual perspective is key to the work of the Foreign Nationals in Prison and Probation Network (FNPP) and important, we believe, to appreciating and understanding the issues of foreign prisoners. The FNPP Network believes that the responsibility for the rehabilitation, resettlement and risk reduction of foreign national prisoners is a shared one for every country in Europe.
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If you have any questions or comments for CEP, please contact us and we will answer you as soon as possible.

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