Mid way through the CEP s Tenth Term: Much done, much to do. Drawing up the interim balance

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1 Mid way through the CEP s Tenth Term: Much done, much to do. Drawing up the interim balance Dear CEP member, It is an honour for me to address all of you, as we reach the middle of the current term. Let me start with a special warm welcome to those who became members during the last 18 months: the National Probation Agency of Georgia (full member) the Ministry of Justice of Kosovo (full member) the Universita della Calabria, Italy (associate member) the Institute of Criminology of the University of Cambridge, UK (associate member) the Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitra, Slovakia (associate member) the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain (associate member) INTRESS, Barcelona, Spain (associate member) Ms. Elizabeth Hayes, UK (individual member) Ms. Patricia Ingram, Isle of Man (individual member) Ms. Mary Anne McFarlane, UK Ms Margaret Lomax, UK(individual member) Mr. Norman Powell, UK (individual member) Ms. Beverly Radcliffe, UK (individual member) At the last CEP Board meeting held in Rennes on 7 th and 8 th October 2011 it was agreed that, in addition to the information on the website, I would write a letter to inform members of the main achievements to date and the difficulties and challenges we are facing for the remainder of the term. Regarding the achievements of CEP to date, let me draw your attention to five key areas: The implementation of the General Assembly s (GA) mandate co-ordinated via the Annual Plan and resulting in a more business oriented and transparent approach.

2 The relevant outcomes from the range of conferences convened, either in the context of the European Union (EU) funded projects with CEP as a partner, or those co-hosted by CEP with the generous help of a member organisation. Of note is the ten point final declaration approved on the 25 th February 2011, at the 4 th Directors General of Probation Conference held in Dublin. I also want to remark on the importance of the increasing presence of researchers and academics at these events, as a means to consolidate evidence that underpins the activities of Probation. The growth of the relationship with other second level organisations active in the correctional field at a European level. In this respect I would like to mention the launch, on 27 th October 2011 in Rotterdam, of the Criminal Justice Platform. This platform includes the prison and probation sectors, restorative justice and the victims perspective, represented by their corresponding European associations: the new EuroPris, CEP, the European Forum for Restorative Justice and Victim Support Europe. The Platform results from our belief that greater effectiveness in resettlement of offenders in the community can be achieved if probation services work closely with other actors in the criminal justice system and align their processes and procedures. In addition we may learn from each other s best practices in running a member s organisation and identify new possibilities in funding. The development of this new baby is one of our priorities for the rest of the term. The active collaboration with the European bodies, in particular the EU Commission and the Council of Europe (CoE). In this respect I highlight the visit on 11th of July 2011 to Mr Telmo Baltazar, the Member of the Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Mr Baltazar delivers the portfolio s duties in respect of EU Criminal Law and Policy. Arising from the meeting a number of items of mutual interest were identified. It is proposed that through the establishment of regular contacts (at least one per year) these items could be pursued. In addition the following actions have been undertaken: - CEP s active participation in the Radicalisation Awareness Network, launched by the EU on 9 th of September in Brussels; - the reaction of CEP on the Green Paper consultation of the EU Directorate General Justice, on behalf of the probation sector in Europe;

3 - the participation of CEP, (using its status of observer) in the Council for Penological Co-Operation of the CoE, in the elaboration of the new recommendation concerning Foreign Prisoners; - the involvement of CEP in the preparation of the First Prison and Probation Director General meeting and participation in the conference held in Strasbourg the 13 th and 14 th of October The reinforcement of the role of the CEP as a centre for information exchange, for instance by developing our website as a space, not only to communicate our current activities, but also as an open forum for hosting live debates, sharing information and linking with other relevant available worldwide information in the field of corrections. In this regard I also would like to mention the more frequent publication of CEP Newsletters, the publication of a European journal on the cutting edge of theory and practice in probation EuroVista, Probation and Community Justice, the update of Probation in Europe, and the role that CEP had in the preparation and execution of current European funded projects such as: Developing Offender Management in Corrections in Europe (DOMICE), which has mapped case management arrangements in 31 jurisdictions in Europe; Circles: Together for Safety on the implementation and dissemination of Circles of Support and Accountability, an innovative community based approach to sex offender supervision; Criminal Justice Social Work which aims to design a common European curriculum for the training of probation officers; Implementation Support for Transferring of European Probation Sentences (ISTEP) which has the goal to facilitate the implementation of the EU Framework Decision on the transfer of non-custodial sanctions and alternative measures. Regarding the difficulties we may face, I want to share two concerns with you: It is not possible to guarantee, at this stage, the sustainability of the organisation, in financial terms. While we are making progress towards financial independence from Reclassering Nederland, by means of EU operational grants, there are three issues that must be addressed. Firstly, CEP may not be eligible for consideration for an operational grant for more than five consecutive years (we received the first Operational Grant in 2010). Secondly, each consecutive year that the EU provides an operating grant to CEP, the co-financing rate is automatically reduced by 3%;

4 Thirdly, the income from subscriptions is still not sufficient to cover the present costs of the organisation. While there has been an improvement on the financial position of CEP at the time of the GA in Malaga, costs and benefits are not yet completely balanced. The Board remains conscious of the substantial impact of the severe economic crisis facing all members. We continue to work hard to reduce costs and to explore other opportunities to raise our income. All these efforts should enable the CEP Board to present a proposal for sustainable funding for the organisation to the next GA, while cognisant of the global financial situation and without jeopardizing the actual capacity of the work of CEP. Despite the enlargement of CEP to incorporate members from European areas not previously covered, there remain important jurisdictions in the Council of Europe member states (which include almost 300 million of inhabitants) that are still clearly underrepresented. To address this situation we need a clear strategy, which includes developing a strong presence in the relevant jurisdictions while also reviewing our actions to meet the diversity across Europe. Apart from the above mentioned concerns, CEP has also three main challenges for the rest of the term: In line with the CEP s statute, it is the duty of the Board to propose to the GA a suitable candidate for appointment as Secretary General for the next full term. The current Secretary General, Mr Leo Tigges, to whom I want to express my gratitude for his unique contribution to the development of CEP over the last number of years, will leave his position at the end of the term. This fact means the Board must focus on the design and implementation of the recruitment and selection process of a new Secretary General. The Board is committed to approving this process at the next Board meeting, in April Following this the process will be initiated with a view to finalisation by late Summer 2013, in order to allow the candidate the opportunity to work with the current Secretary General for a period of time. I would like you to feel fully engaged with this process and I would encourage you to explore potential candidates, who may wish to be considered for the post. The Directors General Declaration (Dublin 2011) contains a specific mandate to the Board to explore under which conditions and on what matters CEP should take the role of lead partner in an EU funded Project (an Action Grant). In this regard, in the framework of the CEP operational audit 2011, Mr Jo Tein (General Manager of the Association for Social Responsibility in Criminal Justice, Victim and Offender Treatment of the German state Schleswig-

5 Holstein), has been assigned to inventory risks, opportunities and organisational consequences should CEP undertake a lead role in aa project. All these efforts should enable CEP to announce by the beginning of 2013 final decisions and practical proposals in this encouraging new perspective. Finally, I am proud to announce to all of you that, due to an agreement with NOMS, the CEP s 11th GA will take place in London on 8th October Following the GA, the First World Congress on Probation will take place on 9th and 10th October 2013 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London. We are exploring the possibility of our affiliate members from United States and Australia collaborating in the preparation of the event. At the same time, we have conducted advanced talks with other potential partners from other parts of the world. A preparatory group comprising CEP Board members and NOMS Staff members are working on producing a draft agenda, which we want to circulate to you not later than February We are looking for local partners interested in joining with this initiative. Please feel free to block your agenda for those days! I am formally inviting you to take part in this really challenging event. Any suggestions on this topic or on any other, whether mentioned in this letter or not, will be more than welcome. I cannot end this paper without expressing my deep gratitude to all of you for your support in our work as we represent your interests in CEP. I wish you and your staff all the very best for the remainder of 2011 and for a positive and productive Thanking you again. Marc Cerón i Riera CEP President.