International Conference "Probation in the Republic of Moldova. Challenges and new approaches"

On the 27^th of November 2009, the Institute for Penal Reform (IRP) and the Norwegian Mission of Rule of Law Advisers to Moldova (NORLAM) in cooperation with the Probation Division within the Enforcement Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova organized the International Conference „Probation in the Republic of Moldova. Challenges and new approaches”.

The practice shows that excessively harsh punishments are counterproductive for the society, due to the fact that the longer the sentence, the more difficult it is to re-socialize the offenders.  This conclusion explains why the majority of the European countries have a great focus on developing and improving alternative sanctions, while Probation plays an important role in the criminal justice system.  

Along with the revision of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova, the Probation reform is one of the most important measures taken for humanization of the punitive policy of the Republic of Moldova, aiming to modernize the legal framework and to adjust it to the European standards.

Thus, the purpose of this Conference is to draw attention to the challenges faced by this new institution and to find effective solutions.  In this regard, the experience of Norway, Latvia and Romania in developing the Probation service was presented during the Conference. 

The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, representatives of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, representatives of the Judiciary, lawyers, representatives of the international organizations operating in the Republic of Moldova, as well as representatives of various NGOs.  

The Law on Probation entered into force on the 13^th of September 2008.  The efficient enforcement of this Law will contribute to the individualization of punishments, reducing re-offending and ensuring the re-socialization of convicts. 

It should be mentioned that starting in 2004 Probation was piloted by the Institute for Penal Reform, while the Probation Division was created in January 2007 as a part of the Enforcement Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova.  Aiming at strengthening the Probation service, NORLAM provided support in training the new employed staff and improving the management skills of the chiefs of offices.

The materials of the Conference can be found here.