Promoting a human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova

The Programme ”Promoting a human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova” is in line with the strategic priorities for cooperation as formulated in the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova for 2017-2020, and is funded by the Norwegian government.

It is aimed to ensure a higher respect for human rights and the rule of law by assisting the national authorities in building up an efficiently functioning criminal justice system, in line with European human rights standards, and based on the principles of humanisation, resocialisation and restorative justice.

Main intervention areas will cover policy/legal framework, institutional and practical implementation levels, with the focus on:

Consolidation of criminal justice policy, legislation and judiciary practice in line with international standards with respect to the liberalization of criminal proceedings, including strengthening the application of non-custodial pre-trial preventive measures and sanctions, alternative sanctions in criminal cases, improvement of probation services and release on parole mechanisms
Better treatment and resocialisation of inmates by improving the regulatory and policy framework as well as prison staff capacities relevant to regime arrangements and management of prisons, implementation of treatment programmes and provision of health care services for inmates;
Support towards the development of the capacities of criminal justice stakeholders in the light of the implementation of the on-going reforms, including judiciary, prosecution service, as well as Ombudsperson’s institution and National Prevention Mechanism (NPM).

The Programme is expected to be implemented in 36 months (as of 1 March 2018).

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back Republic of Moldova: new initial training programme for probation counsellors launched in pilot session

23 newly recruited probation counsellors from 16 Territorial Probation Offices of the Republic of Moldova enhanced knowledge and understanding of their duties in a 4-day initial training session delivered as a pilot by a team of trainers from the National Probation Inspectorate (NPI).

The pilot session was held in Chisinau on 26-29 June 2023 based on the Curriculum for the initial training of probation counsellors developed with the Council of Europe’s support and approved by the NPI. The aim of the event was to facilitate professional integration of probation counsellors that recently joined the probation service and to develop their skills in psychosocial evaluation, assistance, counselling and supervision of offenders in the community. Thus, the participants enhanced their knowledge of theoretical and practical issues encountered by probation counsellors in the daily activity, such as the tactics of negotiation, influence and persuasion, the technique of drafting psychosocial evaluation reports and other documents related to probation work, and prevention of professional burnout.

The event was facilitated by Council of Europe consultants who supervised the session and provided valuable feedback and further guidance for future sessions to the NPI team of trainers. The trainers themselves had been trained to deliver the initial training course for probation counsellors with the Council of Europe’s support in December 2022.

The NPI managers expressed their firm commitment to continue the delivery of the initial training programme to probation counsellors, in order to ensure professional development of probation staff in line with the Council of Europe’s Guidelines for the Recruitment, Selection, Education, Training and Professional Development of Prison and Probation Staff.

The activity was organised under the auspices of the Project “Strengthening the prison and probation reforms, provision of health care and the treatment of patients in closed institutions in the Republic of Moldova”, financed through the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova (2021-2024) and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Republic of Moldova 5 July 2023