On 17 October a final major conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia, anticipated the completion of the joint Council of Europe/European Union project which supports the Slovenian Prison Administration in improving the juvenile justice system and strengthening the education and training of penitentiary staff.

Speaking at the event, Slovenian Minister of Justice Dr Dominika Švarc Pipan, confirmed the commitment to improving the penitentiary and juvenile justice system through an ambitious reform process. The Minister thanked the Council of Europe and the European Union for their support and longstanding trust relationship in the implementation of projects aimed at advancing the rights of imprisoned persons and children.

The Council of Europe, the European Union and the Ministry of Justice acknowledged that the project contributed to a better treatment of prisoners through improved assessment of the risk and needs of imprisoned persons with emphasis placed on individual approach. The Council of Europe and the Slovenian Prison Administration worked together for a better human resources policy applied to the prison staff and for the increase of their professionalism.

A part of the Project was implemented by the Council of Europe’s Children’s Rights Division that worked with the Ministry of Justice to promote a better institutional organisation and a holistic system prepared to attend to the different needs of children in prison while focusing on their rehabilitation and individualised support.

The activities remaining to implement until the end of the Project include a study visit and a training for new prison staff.

The Council of Europe helps to enhance Slovenian Prison Administration within the framework of the Project “Improving the juvenile justice system and strengthening the education and training of penitentiary staff” funded by the European Union via the Technical support instrument and implemented by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the European Commission.