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The first year of the project “Establishment of Training centre infrastructure and model prison blocks for training opportunities in the Olaine prison territory”

With the implementation of new resocialisation concept for persons sentenced with deprivation of liberty and Guidelines of Prisoner Resocialisation Policy for 2015–2020 in the Latvian correctional service system it shows that the issues regarding prison staff are critically important. Filling the positions with qualified staff, the volume and quality of training, the staff selection system improvement and development of infrastructure appropriate for training are very important factors for the performance of the functions of the Latvian Prison Administration.

By recognizing that staff qualification is one of the core aspects of qualitative work with prisoners, it is necessary to develop effective training system for the correctional service personnel, as well as to ensure adequate training infrastructure. With the support of Norway Grants construction of a new Training Centre building and an open prison block are planned.

In order to effectively implement the improved mentoring system in the Latvian prison system, three partnership agreements were signed with project partners from Norway – Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service, University College of Norwegian Correctional Service and Romerike prison.

In the period from the start of the project on 1 July 2019 to 31 October 2020, a number of preparatory works have been carried out in order to achieve the project’s goal – to create modern infrastructure and content for the training of the Latvian correctional service personnel, with the aim to prepare them for modern sentence execution.

In the beginning phase of the project, technical specifications were developed for the new Training Centre and the open prison block in Olaine. On 21 February 2020, the tender “The Training Centre and open prison building construction plan development, supervision and construction work for the Latvian Prison Administration” was announced in the Electronic Procurement System. Currently, the procurement evaluation process is being conducted.

Within the framework of the project, draft documents have been prepared for the implementation of the improved mentorship system in the Latvian prison system. In order to implement the mentorship system qualitatively and fully, a informal adult education programme “Qualification practice manager for learners of the Training Centre” was developed.

From 17 to 19 February 2020 representatives from the University College of Norwegian Correctional Service and Romerike Prison visited Latvia to participate in an information exchange on the project progress and provide advisory support to the project team working on the mentorship system improvement. During the visit an active information exchange on project progress and plans took place as well as several discussions on the role, tasks and responsibilities of mentors in their daily work.

To study the relationship between the satisfaction of prison staff with the Training Centre, its organized trainings, work efficiency and professional burnout, in 2020 a research was executed in which participated Latvian prison staff (monitoring officers and security guards) and persons currently studying at the Latvian Prison Administration Training Centre. A survey of 200 respondents revealed that infrastructure is important, it needs to be updated thus improving the learning process. Respondents also expressed their views on the Training Centre and trainings it provided with a generally positive assessment. Summarizing the obtained results, it can be concluded that staff satisfaction with the Training Centre and its organized training programs are positively related to self-efficacy and negatively related to burnout. Such a study will be carried out again in 2024 at the end of the project. This will allow us to analyse how the Latvian prison staff satisfaction with the Training Centre and its trainings has changed after the implementation of the project innovations.

Preparations took place throughout the year for the first issue of the Latvian Prison Administration magazine to be published in the beginning of December 2020.  The magazine is intended as an annual magazine for system employees, partners and society to raise awareness among industry professionals about the development of the correction system.

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