A two-day Training of Trainers held on 27–28 March 2026 in Tsaghkadzor brought together 18 staff members of the Armenian Probation Service to prepare for the piloting and rollout of a new pre-release report template aiming to improve decision-making on early conditional release.

The new template is the result of a 2025 comprehensive needs assessment done by international and national experts, which identified key gaps in existing practices. Based on these findings, a revised and more comprehensive reporting tool was built on best. It is based on best practices from Council of Europe Member States, aligned with European standards, and has already received positive feedback.

The participants, future trainers, strengthened their skills in applying professional judgment, risk assessment, and analytical approaches. Key topics included understanding of criminogenic factors, dynamic and static risk indicators, gender considerations, and victim-related aspects. Interactive group work and discussions allowed participants to address practical challenges and explore solutions.

The new acquired knowledge and new template provide a more structured and holistic assessment of individuals, covering behaviour during imprisonment, reintegration prospects, and suitability for conditional release, while also enhancing cooperation between probation and penitentiary services. Following the training, the template will be piloted under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice, with formal adoption planned thereafter.

This initiative marks an important step in strengthening the capacity of probation officers and advancing reforms in Armenia by promoting more transparent, consistent, and evidence-based early release decisions.

The activity was organised under the auspice of the Council of Europe Project “Further Strengthening the Probation Service in Armenia” financed and implemented through the Council of Europe Action Plan Armenia (2023 – 2026)