3rd International Correctional Research Symposium

After the second successful edition of the Correctional Research Symposium in May 2018, ICPA, EuroPris and CEP in collaboration with the Portuguese Reintegration and Prison Service have decided to organize a third edition in Portugal in the week of 11 May 2020.

Under the title "Motivation and Well-Being of Correctional Staff How They Matter and What Can We Do About It" the Symposium aims to elaborate on questions, such as:

When (and how) do correctional staff in Prison and Community Services over the world work at their best?
What are the challenges and difficulties of correctional work - in prisons and in the community? What are the outcomes for staff?
Can we give examples of outstanding correctional staff? What difference can they make in offender rehabilitation? What is the evidence base?
Are there environments or types of leadership that can support staff well-being and increase motivation?
How do staff working in corrections innovate, or work creatively, to achieve good outcomes?
What supports correctional staff in their work? What supports them best in managing increasing complexity? Is more training the answer?
How can corrections staff successfully navigate job related stress?
Can we give examples of excellent workforce development?
What strategies are used to recruit, retain and reward staff?
Where are the gaps in research?

The Symposium would like to address these questions through panel sessions with researchers and practitioners, through plenary presentations and workshops.

Want to present?

If you are interested in presenting your vision on the above topics please send your abstract by 15 January 2020 to kirstenhawlitschek@europris.org The Programme Committee will make a selection and inform you by the end of January if your contribution will be included in the Symposium. You can also propose to combine several papers from different speakers, into one 1.5 hour workshop. It will, however, be up to the programme committee to select either one paper or the suggested combination.

The Target groups of the Symposium are:

Academics / researchers
Prison and probation staff
Prison and Probation Directors / Governors / Director Generals / Higher management

If you are not planning to present at the Symposium, but are interested to participate, do not forget to mark the dates in your calendar. More information about this event will later be available via our website.

AIC Publication: Domestic violence offenders, prior offending and reoffending in Australia

Domestic violence offenders, prior offending and reoffending in Australia

The AIC has released a review of 39 Australian quantitative studies published since 1995 that examined domestic violence offending and reoffending.

Key findings from this review include:

The overwhelming majority of domestic violence offenders who come into contact with the criminal justice system are men, while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men are over-represented among offender populations.
Recent alcohol consumption is a common feature of domestic violence incidents, and associated with increased severity of violence.
A significant proportion of domestic violence offenders who come into contact with the criminal justice system have a prior recorded history of domestic violence. Many first-time offenders have also been previously violent towards their partners.
Domestic violence offenders in the justice system often reoffend, and the risk of reoffending is highest in the weeks and months following an incident.
Prolific offending is concentrated among a relatively small group of offenders, while many domestic violence offenders also commit other types of offences.
Risk of reoffending is higher among men, young offenders, Indigenous offenders, people who are unemployed or financially disadvantaged, and offenders with multiple prior offences. However, no single risk factor was predictive of repeat offending by itself.

These findings reaffirm the importance of evidence-based strategies targeting male domestic violence offenders, violence in Indigenous communities and in disadvantaged areas, the role of alcohol in domestic violence, and recidivist offenders who come into contact with the police, courts and corrections.

The paper is available for free download on the AIC website: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi580

[Register for Webinar] Police-Mental Health Collaborations: A Framework for Implementing Effective Law Enforcement Responses for People Who Have Menta

Hosted by The Council of State Governments Justice Center with funding support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 8
Time: 2–3:30 p.m. ET

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR

Increasingly, law enforcement officers are called on to be the first, and often the only, responders to calls involving people who have mental health needs. To begin tackling that challenge, The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center released the Police-Mental Health Collaboration (PMHC) framework to help law enforcement agencies across the country better respond to the growing number of calls for service they receive involving this population. In this webinar, presenters will discuss six questions that law enforcement executives should consider when developing or enhancing PMHCs in their jurisdiction and share practical approaches that have been implemented in the field. The six questions are:

Is our leadership committed?
Do we have clear policies and procedures to respond to people who have mental health needs?
Do we provide staff with quality mental health and stabilization training?
Does the community have a full array of mental health services and supports for people who have mental health needs?
Do we collect and analyze data to measure the PMHC against the four key outcomes?
Do we have a formal and ongoing process for reviewing and improving performance?

Presenters:

Terence Lynn, Deputy Division Director, Law Enforcement, Behavioral Health Division, The Council of State Governments Justice Center
Sergeant Sarah Shimko, Madison Police Department
Captain Matt Tye, Madison Police Department
Sergeant Jason Winsky, Mental Health Support Team, Tucson Police Department

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This announcement was supported by Grant No. 2016-MU-BX-K002 and 2016-MU-BX-K003 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Registration Electronic Monitoring Conference 2020 now open!

From the 21st until the 23rd of April 2020, it is time for the 12th edition of the Electronic Monitoring Conference in Helsinki, Finland. This years theme will be ‘Electronic monitoring and probation goals: a symbiotic relationship’.

Electronic monitoring remains a relatively isolated example of the widespread deployment of technologies in probation practice and community sanctions more broadly. Technologies are already part of our everyday lives but, in common with other public services, are likely to effect on probation practice. As technologies develop and begin to penetrate into probation practices to a greater extent, the challenges of using them in ways which complement probation work grows.

The focus of the 12th electronic monitoring conference will be on developing understanding of how electronic monitoring can support probation practices and how other technologies may assist with the use of EM to meet probation goals.

Key questions which will be addressed are:

what are the ethical challenges of integrating a range of technologies into probation practice;
what novel technologies are available to support probation goals and electronic monitoring and how are they currently deployed;
what are the possibilities of using Artificial Intelligence with electronic monitoring;
how to maximise engagement of staff and service users with the help of electronic monitoring and other technologies.

For more information about the programme of the conference or the registration, please visit the CEP website.

[Register for Webinar] Using and Sharing Data across Health, Human Services, and Justice Systems

Hosted by the National Association of Counties

Date: Thursday, Oct. 10
Time: 2–3 p.m. ET

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR

Counties across the country are collaborating with systems partners to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in their jails. Despite the progress that has been made, challenges with integrating data systems and establishing processes for information sharing are limiting counties’ success in identifying this population, coordinating services and supervision, and tracking the population’s usage of these systems.

Common barriers to data integration include the collecting, sharing, and analyzing of data, as well as establishing information-sharing agreements. This two-part webinar series will offer tips on managing data and information sharing for people who frequently utilize multiple systems along the criminal justice continuum, such as emergency rooms, shelters, and jails. This webinar, the first of the two, will focus on the collection and management of data and will address primary challenges counties often face; participants will have the opportunity to hear about sites who are participating in both Stepping Up and the Data-Driven Justice initiative and have implemented processes to identify and track this population.

This announcement was supported by Grants No. 2016-MU-BX-K002 and 2016-MU-BX-K003 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

What works to prevent violence against women and girls in conflict and humanitarian crisis: Synthesis Brief. What Works to Prevent Violence Against Wo

This new brief synthesises the key results of What Works studies as well as other findings from contemporaneous research efforts published since 2015. It aims to provide an up-to-date resource for practitioners, policymakers and researchers on the state of evidence on violence against women and girls (VAWG) in conflict and humanitarian settings and makes recommendations for VAWG policy, programming, and future research priorities. (Source: The Global Women’s Institute).

download ››

Whistleblower protection in the EU: Commission welcomes adoption by the Council

The Council of Ministers adopted today the directive on whistleblower protection at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg. The directive will guarantee a high level of protection for whistleblowers by establishing safe channels for reporting both within an organisation and to public authorities, setting EU-wide standards. It will also protect whistleblowers against dismissal, demotion and other forms of retaliation, and require national authorities to inform citizens and provide training for public authorities on how to deal with whistleblowers. First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, said: “I welcome the strong signal sent to whistleblowers by the Council today. Whistleblowers are courageous people who dare to bring illegal activities to light and stand up on their own to protect the public from wrongdoing.” Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equalityadded: “Whistleblowers should not be punished for doing the right thing. Our new, EU-wide rules will make sure they can report in a safe way on breaches of EU law in many areas. Whistleblowers can be crucial sources for investigative journalists. Therefore, protecting them also promotes media freedom. I urge Member States to implement the new rules without delay.” The directive on whistleblower protection covers many areas of EU law, ranging from anti-money laundering, data protection, protection of the Union's financial interests, food and product safety, to public health, environmental protection and nuclear safety. Once it will be published in the Official Journal, the Directive will enter into force twenty days after publication. Member States will have two years, from the entry into force to transpose the directive into national law. A Q&A on the whistleblower protection is available online. (For more information: Christian Wigand – Tel.: +32 229 62253; Sara Soumillion – Tel.: +32 229 67094; Athina Reuter – Tel.: + 32 2 229 82390)

Daily News 07 / 10 / 2019 ››

European Council: Justice and Home Affairs Council, 07-08/10/2019

Agenda highlights

Justice, Monday 7 October

Justice ministers will have a debate on the EU action against corruption. They will discuss whether additional actions should be taken at EU level to fight corruption as well as what role the EU should play in this field at an international level.

Ministers will also exchange views on fundamental rights challenges in 2020 and beyond on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the entry into of the EU Charter of fundamental rights. The Council will adopt conclusions on this topic.

2018 report on the application of the EU Charter of fundamental rights

The Council will then listen to reports on the state of play on a number of issues, including:

the current international negotiations on e-evidence with the US and in the framework of the Budapest convention
the assessment of the code of conduct on hate speech online
the setting up of the European public prosecutor (EPPO)

Finally, Eurojust will be invited to present to ministers its new judicial counter-terrorism register. The Council will also adopt conclusions on Eurojust.

Launch of judicial counter-terrorism register at Eurojust (press release, 05/09/2019)

Home affairs, Tuesday 8 October

Home affairs ministers will have a debate on right-wing violent extremism and terrorism. They will focus in particular on analysing the nature of the threat and the existing response. Ministers will also discuss possible next steps at national or EU level to improve information sharing, preventive measures, awareness raising and sharing of best practices.

EU fight against terrorism (background information)

Ministers will also discuss the challenges and opportunities new technologies may bring to internal security. These include developments such as 5G mobile networks, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, drones, anonymization and encryption, 3D printing or biotechnologies.

The Council will then hold a debate on hybrid threats and internal security, in order to identify how the EU could better support member states in detecting, identifying and countering hybrid threats from the law enforcement and civil protection angle.

The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on combatting the sexual abuse of children.

Over lunch, ministers will discuss the state of play on migration, taking a general overview on the migratory situation in the EU.

Council of the European Union ››

AIC: Predicting repeat domestic violence: Improving police risk assessment

Predicting repeat domestic violence: Improving police risk assessment

The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has released a paper that examines how accurately a police risk assessment tool predicts repeat domestic violence.

The Family Violence Risk Assessment Tool (FVRAT) is a tool used by police in the ACT to inform their responses to domestic violence.
This study examines 350 unique cases of violence involving current or former intimate partners in which police used the FVRAT.
Importantly, the focus was on short-term repeat violence—whether further domestic violence was reported to police within six months—taking into account the police response to the initial incident.
The original FVRAT was not a strong predictor of repeat domestic violence. However, an empirically refined version of the FVRAT much more accurately predicts repeat domestic violence.
Items included in this refined tool include physical violence, injury to the victim, prior violence and breaches of court orders, threats or actual violence towards pets, recent separation, pregnancy or new birth, escalating violence and offender money problems.
While other risk factors such as strangulation, coercive control, alcohol and drug use and suicide threats and ideation may not predict further violence, they may still be important in identifying victims at risk of serious violence or harm. We recommend an approach that combines a shorter, more accurate risk assessment with structured professional judgement to help prioritise offenders and victims in need of immediate intervention.

The risk of further violence to victims is highest in the weeks and months following a domestic violence incident. Identifying those cases at the highest risk of short-term repeat violence is vital in informing the response of police and other frontline responders. These findings highlight the importance of evidence-based approaches to risk assessment.

The paper is available for free download on the AIC website: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi581

EUPC: Launch of our prevention campaign on trafficking in human beings

Today the EUCPN and the European countries launch a prevention campaign on trafficking in human beings. The campaign informs citizens that they could be or become a victim, have EU wide rights and where they can find help, protection and information.

The participating countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Spain. The campaign ‘#YouHaveRights!’ includes a poster, sticker and video. You can view the material here. The material will be distributed at hot spots such as airports, borders, embassies, consular posts, public transportation, malls, fuel stations, social media … .

If you would like to promote this campaign, please mention @eucpn and use the official hashtags #PreventHumanTrafficking and #YouHaveRights. Thank you to everyone who contributes to this campaign, we are working together to prevent human trafficking in the EU!

website ››

Research Report – Patterns in Cannabis Cryptomarkets in Canada in 2018

Table of contents

website ››

Undercover Controversies in UK Policing

Tuesday 10th December 2019, 1800-2000

Room 104-Elvin Hall, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, Bedford Way (20), London, WC1H 0AL

The UCL Jill Dando Institute for Global City Policing and Canterbury Centre for Policing Research at Canterbury Christ Church University are pleased to announce the start of a joint seminar series. This exciting series will explore what current scientific research and evidence have to say about policing in the UK.

In the UK, many policing activities are considered to be controversial. For example, there has been much recent public discourse about current policies and the legitimacy of high-profile policing activities such as stop and search, live facial recognition and use of the London gang's matrix to surface risk and prevent crime. However, many other policing activities have received much less attention. These activities are equally controversial and, in a democratic society, should be part of the wider public conversation about policing in the UK.

In this seminar, from both an academic and practical perspective, leading researchers in the field provide a critical reflection on three less obvious areas of policing such as domestic abuse, fatal police shootings and undercover operations. The seminar will discuss four broad questions: what do the police do in these controversial areas? How well do they do it? How can it be improved? And how do these activities become part of the public discourse?

Speakers and Presentations

Andy Myhill - Violence in, violence out? Issues with 'big data’ on domestic abuse.

Nick Francis - Police use of force: A contextual study of 'suicide by cop’ within the British policing paradigm.

Paul McFarlane - Long-term community undercover operations: Are they effective?

To register for this seminar, please click here

Featured NRRC Publications: Report Highlights Efforts to Integrate Corrections and Workforce Development Systems

The IRES Pilot Project Process Evaluation Report details findings from a three-year project that sought to reduce recidivism and increase job readiness for people returning to Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, and Palm Beach County, Florida after incarceration.

Corrections, reentry, and workforce development administrators and practitioners from across the country can use these takeaways to facilitate conversations with key stakeholders about their own ability to integrate the efforts of corrections and workforce development systems to meet the reentry and employment needs of people returning from incarceration.

VIEW THE REPORT