Judicial Capacity-building Cooperation and Correctional Services, including Non-custodial Sanctions

Programme Summary

Why is the Programme needed? The lack of effectiveness of the judiciary, professional staff training and rehabilitation work with prisoners, have been identified as key problems in the Czech criminal justice system. The prison population has furthermore steadily been increasing since the year 2002, when it reached a low of 16,213 and was up to 23,154 in 2011. This has resulted in overcrowding in Czech prisons, and when combined with poor and out-dated prison conditions, the situation calls for actions to be taken. What will the Programme achieve? The objective of the Programme is a fairer and more efficient judicial system and improved correctional services system in compliance with relevant international human rights instruments. The Programme combines two programme areas under the Norway Grants; the area of Judicial Capacity-building and Correctional Services and thereby reaches the three main areas of the justice system: the judicial system (courts and prosecution), the probation and mediation services and the prison service. The Programme will improve the efficiency of the court system, increase competence of staff within the mediation services and the prison service, overcome problems connected to overcrowding in prisons, increase focus on vulnerable groups in prison and improve competences of inmates.  How will it be achieved? The objective will be reached by •    refurbishing four prisons to create educational, vocational, and work facilities for inmates in those prison as well as to bring the general conditions and standards in line with international standards; •    providing training and employment for prisoners in prisons; •    extending current and implementing new educational, therapeutic and motivational programmes for prisoners such as juvenile prisoners, prisoners with drug addiction, perpetrators of traffic accidents and perpetrators of violence; •    creating information material and providing legal advice for foreign prisoners and training prison staff on special issues related to foreigners; •    implementing video conferencing in the domain of justice; •    setting up a system of further education for the employees of the Probation and Mediation Service and the Prison Service. The Programme will be implemented through seven pre-defined projects.How will bilateral relations be strengthened? The Council of Europe is a Donor Programme Partner (DPP) and the aim is to establish additional Norwegian partnerships within the pre-defined projects. The Norwegian Correctional Services have already met with some of their Czech counterparts to assist in identifying possible partners for the projects and a further match making seminar is foreseen. The Czech and the Norwegian Probation and Mediation Services have already established relations through previous cooperation and the aim is to strengthen and widen the cooperation. Exchange of knowledge, study trips and conferences are foreseen during implementation of the Programme.What are the partnership opportunities? •    The Programme is suited for partnerships of public institutions working in the judicial and correctional services sector. •    No open call is foreseen but services for construction works will be out for public procurement.Who can apply for funding under this Programme? There are only pre-defined projects under the programme and no open calls for proposals.