Developing Effective Capacity Building in Probation CEP Conference - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The role of senior management in building a probation

• rganization working alongside international experts

Developing Effective Capacity Building in Probation

CEP Conference Tbilisi May 2019 Steve Pitts and Leo Tigges Consultants in Community-Based Justice

Agenda

• Why this project?
• Project approach
• Project Interim Results
• Developing the model
• General Remarks
• Domains and Structural Issues
• Practice Hints
• Questions?
• Next Steps

Why a Project on Probation Development?

• Growing recognition of the importance of Probation
• Energy and resources invested by national and

international bodies

• Little insight to discern different approaches and their

effectiveness.

• Lack of common language to discuss approaches

(paradigms) to capacity building, current delivery, effectiveness, next steps

• Aim to develop, test, and refine a model of development

including a common language for capacity building in probation

• Also - personal drive, on part of the project leaders, to

reflect on work so far

The Project Methodology

• Brief Literature Review
• Develop initial model based on international guidance
• Study visits to five European countries, enriched by experience
• f working in other countries
• Meet with key stakeholders (probation, justice chain including judiciary,

ministerial, NGO/civil society, academic, international institutions e.g. EU, C.o.E, OSCE, people involved in capacity building)

• Study essential documents
• International workshops with important stakeholders
• Contributions and reflections from international Academic

Board and experienced colleagues

• Refine model and develop recommendations for future projects

The Model - Overview

• Probation Rules of Council of Europe (2010) of utmost

importance

• Reframed content graphically…
• 4 “Domains” (Areas of Responsibility) of Probation
• 4 Enabling Aspects
• Insight into national and international contexts that

influence probation development in each jurisdiction

European Probation Rules – Contents Include:

• Preamble, Scope, definitions
• Basic Principles and Aims
• Organisation and Accountability
• Areas of Responsibilities and Specific Tasks
• Processes of Supervision
• “Resources” including staff and training
• Partnerships
• Complaints procedures, inspection and monitoring
• Research and evaluation
• Work with the media and the public
• Glossary and explanatory memorandum

Project Interim Results

• Model Development -

Probation - 4 Domains (Areas of Responsibility)

• 1. Pre-Trial and Pre-

Sentence:

Bail Information Pre-Sentence Reports

• 2. Community Supervision:

Community Orders Conditional/Suspended Prison Sentence with Supervision

• 3. Prison Sentence:

Prison Stage – Liaison, Reports, Support Preparation for Release

• 4. Prison Sentence:

Post-release Community Stage – Supervision & Reintegration

Probation - 4 “Enablers” or Conditions

Results

4 “Domains” or Areas of Responsibility, 4“Enablers” or Co Condit itio ions

Project Interim Results

• Refining the Model and Learning so far -

4 “Domains” or Areas of Responsibility, 4“Enablers” or Co Condit itio ions, , and Co Context xts

Learning so far… general remarks

• EU accession procedures can be used to bring about real changes in

probation (experts are listened to)

• International experts can open up discussions and develop long term

perspectives

• Larger scale/longer term projects can add support to strategic planning

and implementation

• Political support, management and delivery capacity are crucial to

implementation and sustainability

• In some countries all the stimulating and favorable factors to develop

probation seem to come together, sometimes accidental

• A minister who worked in the European Institutions
• The political will to break with the past
• A committed leadership to bring about changes
• An urgency to reduce the prison population
• The willingness of the diaspora to help
• The absence of bigger problems that claimed priority over probation
• A sizeable group of youngsters who want to do things differently
• ……..

Learning so far… Domains (Areas of Responsibility) and Tasks

• Developing a holistic view of probation (all Domains) helps

to explain probation concept and to maximise positive results

• Developing work with more vulnerable groups (e.g.

juveniles, women) strikes a chord and is an introduction to

• ther, sizable target groups (adults)
• Early use of CS may promote judicial and public acceptance

(understandable as a “real” sanction)

• Parole (early release) has value (reduces pressure on

prisons) – but may be used late in sentence, and with low risk cases only

• EM can be also understood (but can hinder other

developments)

Learning so far… Supporting Conditions and Context

• Vital work elsewhere (e.g. police and prisons) may

detract and divert attention from probation

• Justice chain partners may see new probation service

as competitor or even adversary

• Traditional emphasis on control and supervision takes

time to evolve to include rehabilitation and inclusion

• Impact of Scale (country size) – longer communication

chain, less face to face contact, takes longer to effect change

• “Standing” of and confidence in probation, and

adequate budget, will develop over time

Learning so far… Practice Hints - 1

• Encourage donor coordination
• Local staff of donor organisations can have an essential role in

ensuring effective targeting and coordination of effort

• Beneficiaries frequently need and value both material support (e.g.

computers, software, cars) and practice knowledge and content

• When several donors are involved it can be helpful to address these

needs in a complementary way

• The Domains and Enablers Model supports donor coordination

(common language and analysis)

• Involve whole justice chain ánd political level from beginning
• Study Visits (especially involving justice partners)
• Utilise (regional) pilots to generate ownership and experience

Learning so far… Practice Hints - 2

• Foreign experts provide knowledge and inspiration, but only

adaptation (not copying) creates local ownership;

• Continuous training is important (but not sufficient)
• Make sure probation is included in EU accession requirements
• Make use of the “zeitgeist” (spirit of the time)
• Encourage interpretation of the law to include probation activities

(are laws seen as restrictive or permissive? Willingness to work to boundaries of the law)

• Probation “Champions” can really make a difference! Make an

effort in involving frontrunners!

• State Agencies do Change!
• Don’t give up!

Learning so far… Practice Hints - 3

• Value of “on the spot” advice/support;
• Advisers need to be receptive to address upcoming issues

immediately (coaching, involving specialist experts)

• The value of relationships, especially making use of long-

standing links and diaspora

• The value of longer time involvement of the same experts

(“never change a winning team”)

• The value of leaders/experts from countries that have also

experienced probation development

• Don’t hide mistakes; openness can add to your record of

being reliable

Questions

To what extent do these practice hints reflect your own experiences? Can you identify other important good practices

• or practices to avoid?

Project Next Steps…

Visit 1 more country Meet with EU and Council of Europe Refine Model and good practices Prepare final report and validate by Project Board Publish Report

Thank you for your attention