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 Training of Trainers on Motivational Interviewing for Probation Councillors in Republic of Moldova

@ Council of Europe

Two Training of Trainers (ToTs) sessions on motivational interviewing for councillors of the National Probation Inspectorate of the Republic of Moldova were conducted online during 26-28 October and 2-3 November 2020.

As a result of the ToTs, ten probation councillors, are now available in a pool of trainers to further train their peers on strategic elements of motivational interviewing. The trainers increased their knowledge on the role of motivation in the process of change, and the techniques of working with resistance, thus making the motivational interviewing a particularly important tool in working with offenders.

The acquired knowledge and skills have been applied during interactive group exercises and role plays. The training sessions were followed by the supervised simulation sessions. The added value of the simulated session is the insight and the recommendations the trainees got in applying the motivational interviewing in preparing pre-sanction reports, developing case management supervision plans, contracting and agreeing goals, encouraging compliance, managing non-compliance and reducing recidivism.

Apart from the trainers, probation councillors from different probation offices of the country (Șoldănești, Hîncești, Orhei, Ceadîr-Lunga, Ungheni, Fălești, Florești, Căușeni, Taraclia raions and Chișinău Municipality) that were main target of the ToT, the session was also attended by NPI management and representatives for information purpose - and was facilitated by the Council of Europe international consultants.

The activity was organised under the auspices of the Programme “Promoting a human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova”, funded by the Government of Norway and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Republic of Moldova 6 November 2020