Description
More than 60% of inmates in Estonia are recurrent criminals. The project is needed to support former inmates (under 26 years old) on their way to crime-free society and help to reduce the level of recurring crime through activities planned in the project. The aim of this project is to increase the social functioning of young people who have been released from prison and to provide an available and efficient support network in 3 regions in Estonia. The competence of probation officers and other specialists dealing with young people to offer continuing support will be increased. Also, an adapted motivational and social skills program will be developed and applied for young people. In addition, the competence of the informal network surrounding young people who have been released from prison to offer help and support will increase. As a result of this project, a comprehensive continuing support model will be developed with the purpose of increasing the social functioning of young people who have been released from prison, and decreasing the number of repeated crimes. Main target groups are: former inmates, teachers and school management and members of the informal network.
Summary of project results
The Project was necessary mainly beacause of three issues: 1) Competence of the specialists who work with youth in prisons needed to be higher and motivation needed to be raised to work as a Network; 2) Program was needed to systematically help youngsters relased from prison to go on with crime-free life; 3) To create parent's club for exchanging experience so that they have more abilities to raise their children. During the Project 15 probation officers were trained through group supervision 16+140 hours and 3 individual supervision sessions; 12 parole officers were trained on motivation and social skills to carry out a program for youngsters with aberration relased from prison 64 hours; 75 youngsters passed social skills raising program; 14 youngsters with mental disorders passed motivation and social skills programm in 32 hours; 24 youngsters' family members have participated in unformal club of exchanging experience and 12 people have passed program to lead the club of exchaning experience. Also the Project promoter worked out program for juveniles reelased from prisons; one supervision program for parole officers have been worked out; motivational and social skills program were created for yuoungsters with mental disorders; unformal club for exchaning expericence for parents was created and program to teach skills to lead the club was created. As the Project mainly concentrated on educating specialists, also 14 youngsters was offerened aftercare after relased from prison.
Summary of bilateral results