The issue of violent offenders within the national correctional system and how to identify their treatment needs was discussed in a two-day working group meeting on 18-19 September 2017 in Skopje. Experts elaborated on the content, methods, structure and duration of the programme, the pre-treatment assessment and the selection criteria for enrolling in the programme. The results of the meeting will further contribute to improve the treatment of violent offenders through introduction and implementation of a specific treatment programme.

The meeting was facilitated by international consultants; national members of the working group were representatives of the Directorate for Execution of Sanctions,coming from the Ministry of Justice and the national penitentiary system.

It was organised within the scope of the Action “Strengthening the protection of the rights of sentenced persons”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe within the ”Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey”.