Non-custodial sanctions and measures in the member states of the European Union: A comparative study

To advocate for and realise the importance and benefits of real, effective alternatives to imprisonment as keys to reducing overreliance on prisons and delivering fair and proportionate criminal justice for all, it is important to understand how non-custodial sanctions and measures are currently used.

This comparative research on the use and implementation of non-custodial sanctions and measures in European Union member states was completed as part of the project Promoting non-discriminatory alternatives to imprisonment across Europe, implemented through our Europe programme in partnership with the University of Coimbra, Portugal (UC) and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC), with funding from the European Union’s Justice programme (JUST-JCOO-AG-2020).

The comparative study is based on national reports, provided by experts from EU Member States invited by the UC research team, and encompasses 22 EU Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden. Alongside other activities of the project, the study contributes to a greater understanding and promotion of the use and usefulness of community-based sentences within the EU.

Funded by the European Union. The content of this page represents the views of the author(s) only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.

The report is available in English, French, Hungarian and Portuguese through the links below.