As part of the Council of Europe Project “Towards more humane detention conditions and reduced reoffending in Ukraine” (DECOPRIS), a needs assessment was carried out to evaluate the current state of human resources management (HRM) in the State Criminal Executive Service of Ukraine (SCESU).

The assessment is based on the following international standards:

• Council of Europe Recommendation Rec(2006)2-rev of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the European Prison Rules (EPR);
• Council of Europe Guidelines on the recruitment, selection, education, training, and professional development of prison and probation staff;
• United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules).

From 30 June to 4 July 2025, the Council of Europe’s international consultant Laura Kikas and national consultant Yevhenii Ivashev conducted interviews with SCESU representatives and visited penitentiary institutions across various regions of Ukraine:

Kyiv:

• Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the Department for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions
• Kagarlytska Correctional Colony No. 115
• Penitentiary Academy of Ukraine
• Kyiv Pre-Trial Detention Centre

Vinnytsia:

• Vinnytsia Penitentiary Institution No. 1 (including the high-security unit for life-sentenced prisoners)
• Stryzhavka Correctional Colony No. 81

Lviv:

• Lviv Penitentiary Institution No. 19
• Western Interregional Department

Remote interviews were also conducted with representatives of the Kremenchuk Educational Colony (for minors), Naderzhynschynska Correctional Colony No. 65 (for women), Horodotskyi Correctional Center, and the Interregional Departments: Southern, South-Eastern, North-Eastern, and Central.

The final analysis will be based on consolidated information from three sources: existing legal and regulatory documents, findings from group interviews with personnel, and international HR standards. It will result in practical recommendations for improving HR policy.

This needs assessment represents an important step toward strengthening the SCESU human resource system by supporting staff professional development, improving working conditions, and enhancing the institutional capacity of the system.

The DECOPRIS Project extends its sincere appreciation to all partners for their collaboration, professionalism, and constructive dialogue.

The Council of Europe project “Towards More Humane Conditions of Detention and Reduced Reoffending in Ukraine” (DECOPRIS) is implemented within the framework of  the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” (2023–2026). DECOPRIS aims to enhance the protection of prisoners’ rights by improving prison management practices and advancing rehabilitation efforts.