Serious overcrowding and increasing proportions of older and women detainees in European prisons

The Council of Europe’s newly released 2025 annual penal statistics on prison populations (SPACE I), show that many European countries are failing to address the serious prison overcrowding they face. In many others prisons are close to full capacity following an increase in their prison...

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Education in prison: the Council of Europe updates its Recommendation to account for recent developments

Education in prison: the Council of Europe updates its Recommendation to account for recent developments Education in prison: the Council of Europe updates its Recommendation to account for recent developmentsElaborated by the Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP), Recommendation...

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Alternative sanctions to imprisonment: Council of Europe publishes 2024 annual survey

Alternative measures which keep offenders in the community are the dominant form of correctional supervision in Europe today according to the newly published Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics on persons under the supervision of probation agencies. The survey contains data on probationers...

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Prison and probation: Kraków Conference explores how to move away from the overuse of penal sanctions

European prison and probation services are under increasing pressure to manage persons safely in prisons or in the community. As the number of persons in detention or subject to a sanction in the community rises, the ability to offer them a rehabilitative pathway becomes more challenging. The...

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The 30th Council of Europe Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services (CDPPS) was held in Kraków (Poland) on 24 and 25 September 2025

Directors of European prison and probation services from the 46 Council of Europe’s member states have met in Kraków (Poland) on 24 and 25 September 2025 for the 30th edition of the annual Conference. The 30th Council of Europe Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services (CDPPS) was...

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Council of Europe’s 2024 annual penal statistics

Increasing overcrowding in European prisons

Prison overcrowding remains a critical challenge in one-third of European prison administrations, according to the Council of Europe’s 2024 Annual Penal Statistics on Prison Populations (SPACE I). Overall, in Europe, the number of inmates per 100 places available increased from 93.5 to 94.9 from...

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Council of Europe advances penological policies: PC-CP 38th Working Group Meeting

The Council for Penological Co-operation (PC‑CP) Working Group held its 38th meeting in Madrid from 20 to 22 May 2025, hosted by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. On 20 May 2025, the participants were greeted by Mr Fernando GRANDE‑MARLASKA, Minister of the Interior of Spain, who highly...

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New recommendation to protect mental health of prisoners and probationers

The Council of Europe has addressed a Recommendation to its 46 member states aimed at promoting and protecting the mental health of prisoners and probationers and at ensuring the management of their possible mental disorders, in full respect of their human dignity. While highlighting the crucial...

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EuroPris online webinar on the Implementation of the Council of Europe Recommendations for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Prison and Probation Services

EuroPris organises an online webinar on the Implementation of the Council of Europe Recommendations for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Prison and Probation Services on 16 January 2025, 14:00 – 16:00 (CET). For more information and to register click here

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EFRJ - 3rd Winter Academy - training events

The European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) organises its forthcoming training events on: 1) restorative justice and imprisonment, and 2) restorative justice training skills.   For more information please check the Flyer.

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The PC-CP held its 14th Plenary Meeting in Strasbourg

The PC-CP held its annual Plenary meeting in Strasbourg from 5 to 7 November 2024 in Strasbourg. Mr Gianluca ESPOSITO, Director General, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe opened the meeting and participants have discussed various topics, among others: the...

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AI in prisons and probation: new Council of Europe recommendation aims to ensure respect for human rights and dignity

The Council of Europe has issued recommendations to its 46 member states aimed at ensuring that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and related digital technologies by prison and probation services respects the human rights and dignity of detainees, probationers, as well as staff. In a new...

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The PC-CP held its 36th Working Group Meeting in Rome (Italy)

The 36th PC-CP Working Group meeting was hosted by the National Council for Economics and Labour (CNEL) in Villa Lubin, Rome, from 17 to 19 September 2024. Agenda Summary Meeting Report

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Former PC-CP Chair Nadya Radkovska elected as ICPA Board Member at Singapore AGM

Our Former PC-CP Chair, Ms Nadya Radkovska (Bulgaria), was elected as ICPA Board Member during their Annual Conference 2024, which was held in Singapore from 1 to 6 September 2024, Congratulations to Nadya! Please see the ICPA Article.

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ICPA Annual Conference 2024 "Enabling Desistance: Beyond Recidivism" (Singapore)

The ICPA Annual Conference 2024 has officially begun, bringing together over 800 professionals across 5 days of inspiring discussions on "Enabling Desistance: Beyond Recidivism". We were honored to have Peter Severin, ICPA President, and Natalie Boal, ICPA Executive Director, deliver opening...

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Sofia conference tackles challenges in prison and probation services

Directors of European prison and probation services from the 46 Council of Europe’s member states are meeting in Sofia on 24 and 25 June to discuss ways to improve the autonomy and resocialisation of prisoners and combat organised crime groups in the prison and probation contexts, among other...

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Alternative sanctions and measures to prison: European annual statistics for 2023

The overall number of persons subject to sanctions and measures which keep offenders in the community remained stable in Europe from January 2022 to January 2023, although some probation administrations experienced significant increases or decreases, according to the Council of Europe Annual...

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Prison overcrowding remains a problem in Europe: Council of Europe’s annual penal statistics for 2023

Prison overcrowding continues to be an acute and persistent problem in a significant number of European prison administrations, according to the Council of Europe’s Annual Penal Statistics on Prison Populations (SPACE I) for 2023, released today (see also the Key findings). In countries with over...

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The 34th PC-CP Working Group meeting was held in Strasbourg, Palais de l'Europe, Council of Europe from 20 to 22 March 2024

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