PRI Alt Eur: Promoting non-discriminatory alternatives to imprisonment across Europe
In January 2021, PRI began a project on alternatives to prison sentences in Europe, funded by the European Union DG Just.
Our partners for this project are the Hungarian Helsinki Committee and the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra.
The project will include a study of European countries’ application of non-custodial sanctions and measures, including how they affect vulnerable and minority groups. We will then conduct training for probation officers in Hungary and Portugal, review sentencing guidelines in each country and design and trial pilot projects on alternatives which better meet the needs and circumstances of vulnerable and minority groups.
Read more about alternatives to detention.
Addressing gaps in the implementation and management of alternatives to imprisonment and post-release support during the COVID-19 global pandemic
In January 2022, PRI completed a project funded by the International Penal and Penitentiary Foundation (IPPF) looking at the impact on COVID-19 on alternatives to imprisonment and post-release support and addressing the gaps and shortcomings in their implementation and management.
The project included extensive research into the impact of COVID-19 on the use, implementation and experience of non-custodial sentences, resulting in a comparative summary report including 21 EU members states and four country reports reflecting in-depth analysis that was conducted in Georgia, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan and Portugal. The reports informed advocacy strategies in each country to ensure the uptake of recommendations by prison and probation authorities. The project also produced a 10-point plan for crisis-ready non-custodial sanctions and measures, including a summary of key issues experienced by prison and probation services during the COVID-19 pandemic and practical recommendations for service improvements.
The 10-point plan can be used globally to guide better responses to probation and post-release –now with the impact of the pandemic continuing, and in the longer-term.
