A new, comprehensive, and structured reintegration programme for persons serving long prison sentences (over 5 years), has been presented to treatment prison officers from Central, Western and Northern Serbia at the beginning of June. Presentations were organised in Novi Sad and Belgrade and gathered more than 40 treatment officers and ten commissioners from the local Commissioners’ Offices.

The systemic reintegration programme was developed over four years by a dedicated working group comprised of experienced treatment officers from Nis, Pancevo, Sremska Mitrovica and Belgrade prisons.

The key feature of the programme is its focus on preparation for release from the very first day of serving a sentence. The early intervention allows for gradual development of essential life skills that will help individuals reintegrate successfully into society. By providing support and guidance in areas such as reconnecting with the family, finding employment, and avoiding reoffending, the programme aims to equip individuals with the tools they need to rebuild their lives post-incarceration. These skills are “rehearsed” in the relatively safe penal environment and help prisoners gain an insight of what awaits them once they leave the prison.

The treatment staff now have clear procedures and timelines for the work with prisoners serving long sentences who are disconnected from the rapidly changing outside world while they spend years in the specific prison environment. These procedures and timelines ensure that individuals serving long sentences have a structured framework for addressing their needs and working towards rehabilitation. This includes, for example, substance abuse treatment or social skills development through participation in offender behaviour programmes. Previously conducted with the support of the joint European Union/Council of Europe action “Enhancing the human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Serbia”, these programmes are now instituted in the respective prisons, ensuring that each prisoner receives the necessary support and resources to help them succeed in their rehabilitation journey.

More presentations for the South Serbia region as well as for prison governors and Heads of Treatment departments will be organised by the end of the year. These activities are a part of the ongoing efforts of the action “Enhancing the human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Serbia” to provide assistance to the state institutions in implementing Council of Europe standards and recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).

This action is part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, implemented by the Council of Europe.