The development of the State Probation Service - yesterday,

today, tomorrow

Mihails Papsujevičs

Head of State Probation Service

Riga

17.10.2014

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Some facts about Latvia• Regaining of independence

1991 - 50 years after being included in the USSR

• EU Member States 2004• Population 2,025 million.• The territory of 64,559 km2• Transition from punishment

(revenge) to the social inclusion

Number of prisoners per 100 000 inhabitants:• 1992 – 314• 1995 – 374• 1998 – 410• 2001 – 373• 2004 – 353• 2007 - 287

• 2010.g. – 314• 2014.g. - 264

Resource: www.prisonstudies.org

Some facts about the probation service •An institution of direct administration supervised by the Minister of Justice•Established in 2003•Centralized structure. Policies and standards are implemented by the central office•Probation officers are civil servants•A probation client can become any offender who has reached the age of criminal responsibility *•The number of employed in 2014 - 380•The number of probation clients: ~ 20, 000 (2013 - 16604)

Some facts about the probation service The functions of the State Probation Service:•2004 - Post-penitentiary assistance (until 1 July, 2009)• 2004 - Evaluation report• 2005 - Forced labour + Reconciliation (mediation) in criminal cases + social behaviour correction programs + assessment of risks and needs• 2006 - Supervision of Offenders (conditionally sentenced, conditionally released prisoners, conditionally released from criminal liability)• 2011 - an additional sentence - Probation Supervision• 2013 – Combinations of supervision of offenders and forced labour combinations

Some facts about the probation service The distribution of resources:1. >50% offender supervision 2. ~ 20% forced labour3. ~ 12% social behaviour correction programs4. ~ 12% evaluation reports5. <6% other functions

Some facts about the probation service

The assistance of other countries in formation of the probation system in Latvia: Canada Norway Estonia United Kingdom Ireland Netherlands

Our challenges in the last 10 yearsWhat is "probation"? There are no adequate expressions in Latvian• Lack of academic knowledge on probation• The general public does not understand / does not read English, Computer skills and practice are at a low level

The academic sector is minimally involved in the creation of the probation system

Insufficient criticality of probation system developers•Taking over the experience of other countries you have to be very careful (differences in the interests of both donor and recipient)• Mutual trust and a genuine long-term cooperation relationships

Our challenges in the last 10 yearsA very low level of public support and understanding

Stigmatization of Probation officers•‘Defenders of criminals' (the first function was post-penitentiary assistance)• 'Impotent' or 'Women' office '(no weapons, uniforms, 85% women)

Lack of trust of the partners (the court, the prosecution, the police, social services, etc.)

Low population density + lots of functions = a universal probation officer•Must be familiar with a lot of regulations, methods of work, must be able to keep track of the constant changes• Must possess many skills, competencies

Our challenges in the last 10 years

Introduction of the model Risk + Needs + Responsive action•Step 1: Implementation of Risk and Needs Assessment Instrument •Step 2: Difficult to find a balance between control and support• Step 3: Identity Crisis: probation officer = policeman + social worker + psychologist + teacher• Step 4: probation officer = change agent

Very high turnover (12-34% per year)•Higher salaries at other institutions• Increasing requirements for employees - professional duties are becoming more complex

Our challenges in the last 10 years«Cracks» increase between the central office and regional divisions

Regional divisions demand Indicating policy - fear of responsibility, consequences•Surveillance plan, the evaluation report samples, etc.• Detailing of methodologies• Decision-making in relation to the transfer of responsibility for the client's case management to headquarters staffSex offenders - the need for alternative approaches

Our challenges in the last 10 yearsIntroduction of Social behaviour correction programs•The program is suitable for all probation clients• Only psychologists can run programs• Incomplete understanding of the program material and the process of adaptation, as well as fears of a possible copyright infringement of program material in the adaptation processStaff burnout•Increasing demands + lack of adequate training• Permanent changes in legislation and working methodologies• Traumatic events (based on the case of secondary injuries)• Identity crisis

Our challenges in the last 10 yearsToo much "paper" bureaucracy Cooperation problems with non-governmental social rehabilitation institutions (SRC) •Probation is too bureaucratic and punitive (SRC views)• SRC are not competent (probation opinion)

Weak inter-institutional cooperation•Your client = Your problem

Solutions • Significantly improved and adequate legislative basis of the probation

work• Territorial Division of the Advisory Council of the State Probation Service

+ Advisory Council of the State Probation Service – help to successfully solve issues of cooperation with partners

• Establishment of Training and Research Division• A wide range of internal training• Communion training with the prison system officers• Specializing in working with sex offenders + social behaviour correction

programs (in public + imprisonment)

Solutions

Cooperation with the academic sector•Professional master studies «Social Work (specialization in the field of criminal justice)" (Latvian University)• Promotion of Students' research interests - the annual update of the research topics and submission to higher education institutions of Latvia, examination of applications for research works, providing support for research activities to students

Creation of the library of the State Probation Service Peer counseling (support) systemIntroduction of Individual supervisions, involving specialists outside the organization

SolutionsDirect involvement of the representatives of the Central Office in dealing with customers•Shared duties - partly the responsibilities of the central office, partly work with the client •Practical work experience with a probation client actually is a necessary prerequisite for the transfer to work at the central office

One of the preconditions of quality control is the discussion with the manager of the client's case before making the conclusions of the client's case management Development of IT infrastructure•In the case management - digital thing• Direct access to the databases of other institutions• Intranet website

Solutions

Trainers network•Work with sex offenders (Assessment +Program Management)• Motivating interviewing• Peer counseling

Establishment of Probation Officers Union of Latvia

Volunteers •In reconciliation field• In work with sex offenders (COSA)Researches on the relapse of persons released from custody and the relapse of sex offenders

Future challenges

Less dangerous offenders Dangerous offenders •Extension of additional sentence - probation supervision• Probation officer powers in determining the obligations for probation clients (now it is done by the Court)

Tooling evaluation and improvement •Risk and needs assessment tools• Social behaviour correction programs (management of emotions, substance use management, respectful relationships)

Future challenges• The introduction of electronic monitoring (back-doors model)• Improvement of Youth Surveillance System• More extensive volunteer involvement in probation work• Inter-institutional cooperation in dealing with dangerous offenders

(MAPPA)• Cross-border cooperation within the EU in implementation of Council

Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA• Involvement of mental health professionals in the work with the

probation clients• Introduction of E-solutions for the training of staff• Strengthening of Restorative justice principles in the execution of

criminal penalties

Thanks to all probation officers and supporters of probation work for the work done and to be

done!

Thanks to I.Jurevičius for support in the creation of this presentation!

Thanks for your attention!