The General Directorate Execution of Sentences (GDES) introduced the training and development practices of probation officers in our country to experts from the Kingdom of Norway

22-03-2023 14:18

In the period from 13.03.2023 to 17.03.2023 in Plovdiv and Pazardzhik, Sub-activity 1.7 "Study visit of experts from Norway to Bulgaria with the aim of familiarization with the practices for training and development of probation officers" was implemented in Improving access to justice (IAJ) 3 "Strengthening the implementation of measures alternative to imprisonment".

The enforcement of the "probation" sentence, the possibility of enhancing the education and qualification of probation officers, as well as the work with minors sentenced to "probation" was presented in the presence of the partners from Norway and representatives of the Municipality of Plovdiv, the Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior, the Plovdiv District Prosecutor's Office, the Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, the Plovdiv District Court, the Plovdiv Regional Court, the Regional Department of Education, the Regional Health Inspectorate, the Regional Employment Service Directorate, the members of the probation board at the Plovdiv District Court, managers and employees of the District and Regional Offices at the State Department of the Interior.

The guests also visited the prison in Pazardzhik, where they visited the renovated training centre and were presented in detail, both the work with convicted persons and the interaction between prisons and probation services.

Within the framework of a working visit, the organization's activities and cooperation with the State Criminal Investigation Department were presented at the Initiatives and Civic Activity Fund for the Prevention of Crime NGO. The activity of the probation council in Pazardzhik was also presented.

In the District Penitentiary Service Haskovo, the Norwegian experts took part in a group work session from the Thinking Skills Programme. They were also presented with the practical application of electronic monitoring, as well as the implementation of an interview with a convicted person.

The Asenovgrad unit of the Enforcement of Sentences District Service (ESDS) and the Plovdiv ESDS were also visited.