Description
Prison overcrowding in Bulgaria remains a problem. Electronic monitoring (EM) is a modern and effective approach in management and treating persons subjected to restrictions under the supervision of a probation authority or police offices worldwide, outside of prison. The main objective of the proposed project is to introduce an EM system and enhance the possibilities for application of alternatives to imprisonment. The project will focus on review of the current legislative framework and development of proposals for amendments, establishing of multiagency network for supervision of offenders on EM, improving the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, strengthening the focus of all stakeholders by raising their awareness on the electronic monitoring possibilities and the benefits of decreasing the prison population.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the need for introducing a new approach on regarding the prison as а last resort as a prerequisite for the synchronization of Bulgarian practice with the European one and to proceed to expanding the scope of non-custodial measures, as probation, including the application of electronic monitoring as a contemporary approach to offender management. The introduction of the electronic monitoring in the execution of sentence practice and 183 placed under electronic monitoring could be defined as the most important output of the project. The second most important output was the review of the normative regulation, the analysis of the lapses identified in the national legal arrangements and the bill for amendment and complementation of the Execution of Sentences and Remand in Custody Act, which was prepared and subsequently passed by the National Assembly and promulgated in State Gazette. Three information campaigns were held with more than 150 participants, over 80 publications in national, electronic and regional media were made and an information clip about the electronic monitoring was prepared. A round table was run with participants from Bulgaria, Kingdom of Norway, Council of Europe and Moldova for presenting the outputs project and the lessons learned during the project implementation. Enhanced competencies of magistrates, officers of the PP and other stakeholders has been achieved by developing two training programmes for magistrates, and conducting 10 trainings of 282 magistrates /representatives of the court and prosecutor’s office/ in the five appellate districts. Two trainings with 60 officers of the PP and its territorial services for studying the Norwegian experience in the application of alternative sanctions and measures, one training in the electronic monitoring with 49 officers and one training for magistrates, journalists and other stakeholders were conducted.
Summary of bilateral results
Joint activities have been realized with a representative of the donor state – the Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service (KDI), as well as with the DPP – the Council of Europe, in the framework of the Fund for Bilateral Relations at programme level. Expert of the two organisations have taken part in the activities as trainers on alternatives to imprisonment , as they made additional contribution by drafting reports with recommendations. Working visits and round tables on the electronic monitoring and alternative sanctions have been organized. It is worth mentioning the international conference on topic “Innovations and ethical challenges in the system for execution of sentences – ethics and professionalism”, which took place in June 2015. This was the first conference in Bulgaria, which gathered international representation on topics related to all challenges in the sentence execution and ethical issues connected with the application of technologies in the offender management. More than 50 delegates took part in the conference and speakers were some of the leading experts in Europe. As a good practice the cooperation agreement should be also pointed out, which was officially signed between the PP and KDI on 29 April 2015.