Probation professionals from across Albania have identified key steps to strengthen the capacity-building system of the Albanian Probation Service, including induction, continuous professional development and the development of internal expertise to support more effective rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.

Twenty representatives of the Albanian Probation Service and all regional probation offices reviewed the findings of a comprehensive capacity-building needs assessment carried out by the European Union and the Council of Europe at the request of the Albanian Probation Service. The assessment analysed the legal and institutional framework governing probation staff development in Albania and drew on an online staff survey completed by 44 probation officers and managers, as well as five follow-up interviews with practitioners, office directors, and the central inspectorate. The findings highlighted the need to further strengthen probation-specific induction and continuous professional development, establish a sustainable pool of in-house trainers and develop structured intervention programmes for violent extremist offenders and other offenders vulnerable to radicalisation.

Participants agreed that these measures will contribute to a more effective, practice-oriented and sustainable capacity-building system for the Albanian Probation Service.

The Training needs assessment and subsequent presentation were organised by the regional Action "Enhancing co-operation in the Western Balkans in the managing violent extremism in prisons and preventing further radicalisation after release", implemented within the framework of the EU and Council of Europe joint programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkiye.