Norwegian Financial Mechanism programme LV08 “Reform of the Latvian Correctional Services and Police Detention Centres” State Probation Service (hereinafter – SPS) project No. LV08/1 “Increasing the Application of Alternatives to Imprisonment (Including Possible Pilot Project on Electronic Surveillance)” (hereinafter – the Project) was implemented from 3 June 2013 to 30 April 2017. This is the largest development project in the history of the SPS with the total budget of 2 733 518.73 EUR.
Project partners:
Implementation of electronic surveillance
Informational and administrative support was provided for the preparation of draft laws on implementation of electronic surveillance, including training visits to Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain, Estonia and Norway were organized for the working group of the Ministry of Justice working on the relevant draft laws.
Parallel to the development of the draft laws, the preparation of the electronic surveillance public procurement procedures was initiated. This procurement was the most complex in the history of the SPS and the implementation of the procedure was unexpectedly time consuming. The development of the draft laws and the preparation of the procurement procedure was informed by the conclusions of the research “On the Use of the New Alternative: Defining the Application Criteria” carried out in the framework of the project, as well as in-person consultations by experts from Norway and Estonia. The implementation of the electronic surveillance was monitored by the responsible Parliamentary Commission – Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Commission. The SPS hosted several outings of this Commission to inform about the implementation of the electronic surveillance and other current events in this context.
As a result, the most reliable and at the same time the most widespread electronic surveillance technical solution in the world was implemented in Latvia – a base station installed in the client’s place of residence, which uses radio waves to communicate with an ankle monitor, allowing to leave the place of detention sooner than in the case of regular conditional early release. The convicted persons were able to start to apply for electronic monitoring from July 2015. At the same time, a five-year procurement contract was concluded with the electronic surveillance service provider “SuperCom Limited”, the infrastructure of information and communication technologies required for the electronic surveillance was created, as well as the electronic surveillance center which works 24/7 and training was provided for the SPS employees.
In 2014 – 2015, an extensive informational work was carried out to inform the cooperation partners on the current changes in the legislation related to the introduction of electronic surveillance and criminal punishment guidelines by organizing regional seminars, including the meetings of regional and divisional Advisory Councils. Overall 12 regional seminars were organized for cooperation partners (~450 participants – the leading experts of criminal justice) and 17 additional seminars in the prisons of Latvia (~680 participants – prison staff and the convicted persons).
In June 2015, an international expert-led workshop with 40 participants was organized for the leading specialists of the SPS and its partners regarding electronic surveillance and the experience of other states.
In April 2016, in cooperation with the Confederation of European Probation the 10th Electronic Surveillance Conference was organized in Latvia which was attended by 40 experts from Latvia and over 170 experts from around the world.
In June 2016, an extensive social campaign was implemented to inform the public about the electronic surveillance and dispel the existing stereotypes.
Until the conclusion of the project, 115 persons who have been granted a conditional early release from the punishment related to deprivation of liberty were involved in program.
Establishment of a system for working with young probation clients
A volunteering program (fellowship) was developed and implemented, which, among other activities, included the selection and training of volunteers, involvement of probation clients and the monitoring of the cooperation with the volunteer, compensation of the direct expenses incurred by the volunteers, organization of informational events for the industry professionals and the general public, as well as the development of the methodological materials of the volunteer program. Over 100 volunteers were trained for working with young clients and 49 probation clients were involved in the volunteer program.
The SPS and prison system employees received the training on the “Protection of the Rights of a Child”. SPS employees who specialize in working with young probation clients received the following additional training:
In cooperation with Norwegian Mediation Service, 5 regional workshops with 184 participants were organized for the SPS al cooperation in working with minor offenders.
A probation program for youth “Ready! Set! Go!” was developed and licensed, and its implementation has been started. The program involves 9 probation clients.
In December 2016, a conference was organized for the SPS volunteers, involving 68 participants (SPS employees, volunteers and specialists from other institutions).
Activities for maintaining and increasing professional qualification
In the framework of the project an e-learning environment was developed and implemented, based on the Moodle platform, also new training courses were developed and integrated in the SPS training system:
In collaboration with the Training and Research Division of the SPS 148 training activities were organized, where 1 760 SPS employees and 728 prison system specialists participated.
To improve the quality of the probation work in working with the client and provide mutual support to colleagues, 69 peer reviews were organized attended by 1 118 SPS employees. Peer reviews were organized concerning all probation functions.
In 2015, in cooperation with the Norwegian Mediation Service training was organized on restorative justice and mediation between the victim and the offender, involving 10 experts from Norway and 20 experts from Latvia.
In December 2016, the SPS and Prison Administration conference “Four Forms of Offender Rehabilitation – Towards an Interdisciplinary Model” was organized. The conference was attended by 200 selected professionals, including project partners from other countries.
The SPS employees had the opportunity to consult with highly qualified mental health professionals and receive professional supervision individually and in group.
Another way to increase the professional competence of the employees is the participation in international conferences and exchange visits, which allows sharing the best practices in various areas of probation work and learn from the experience of other countries. With a financial support from the project 139 SPS employees took part in 66 professional qualification events abroad.
Support for the re-socialization of probation clients
The opportunity to receive assistance from qualified mental health professionals was provided also to individual probation clients alongside with other behavioral correction services.
The travel expenses were covered for 37 disadvantaged and low-income probation clients, so that they could take part in the probation program activities (behavioral correction activities), if the activities are carried out in another territorial unit of the SPS.
Assistance of highly qualified mental health professionals was ensured to 17 probation clients to address their mental health problems, which significantly complicate the SPS interventions and the integration in society of these individuals.
Administrative capacity of the SPS and equipment
The financial support from the project was used to update all SPS hardware, purchase new printing equipment, including scanners and multi-functional equipment, smartphones with wireless internet connection, server with a complete software, voice recorders and fireproof cabinets, and public wireless networks were created in Dzirnavu iela 91 (Central) and Lomonosova iela 9 (Riga Territorial unit) in Riga. In addition, new toners were purchased for the printing equipment, the smartphone telecommunication invoices and SPS vehicle petrol expenses were covered in relation to the implementation of the electronic surveillance.
For project research needs the SPS purchased research software with licenses which was installed on the researcher workstations.
The state information system for Probation case accounting (PLUS) was significantly improved:
The upgraded system has a new graphic and functional design, which facilitates information processing and ensures a more ergonomic work, as well as increases the overall administrative capacity of the SPS by at least 15% – reduced administrative burden and more time for working directly with the probation client. PLUS was prepared for further refinement in the framework of the state unified e-criminal case project – all necessary preparations were carried out to integrate PLUS with other information systems.
Evidence-based practice (studies)
Several important researches were completed during the project implementation:
Bilateral cooperation
The most active bilateral cooperation was carried out with the Oslo Probation Service of Norway, the representative of which was also the member of the project management committee. The Oslo Probation Service provided advice on the administrative and strategic management of the project, as well as consulted the leading experts from Latvia regarding the development and implementation of the electronic surveillance monitoring model, participating in various events in Latvia, both by hosting Latvian experts in visits to Norway and offering consultative support remotely (phone, e-mail).
The Norwegian Ila prison provided the training for motivational interviewing for the SPS and prison system trainers, as well as the professional qualification maintenance and further training for the existing trainers in Latvia. The trainers visited Latvia 2 times a year and worked with a group of motivational interviewing trainers.
The Norwegian Mediation Service provided training in Latvia on restorative justice and mediation between the victim and the offender, as well shared their experience in regional workshops on the organization of inter-institutional cooperation in work with young offenders.
The bilateral cooperation partners provided advisory support for the organization of the final conference of the project which took place in December 2016, as well as participated in the conference as speakers.
During the project activities, 44 Norwegian experts visited Latvia and 2 exchange visits to Norway were organized.
Publicity
An extensive public informative campaign on electronic surveillance and the volunteer program (fellowship) for youth was organized, including informative seminars in places of detention. Social networks and all types of media were actively used to inform the general public. Each year press conferences were organized to inform the general public about the implemented project activities and were well attended by journalists. It is not possible to determine the exact number of publications on the implemented project activities, as there are several thousands; the majority of the publications concerned the electronic surveillance, followed by the work with young offenders, while other project activities did not arouse any substantial public interest.
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