Fourteen trainers, who are responsible for training prison and probation staff, from four of the countries of the Eastern Partnership: Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine participated in a training course on how to combat prison overcrowding.  The structure of curriculum and relevant methodology on how to  prevent and combat prison overcrowding was discussed during the 2-day training (4-5 February 2016). This training was based on the Council of Europe standards to combat prison overcrowding.

The participants of the training developed strategies and model training programmes for further integration and implementation of these standards at local level. The activity also established a platform for sharing experiences and networking among colleagues working in prison and probation field in Eastern Partnership countries.

The Training was implemented within the framework of the EU/CoE PCF Regional Project “Promoting penitentiary reforms (from a punitive to a rehabilitative approach)” and it was the last activity within the framework of the Project before the Final Regional Conference “Criminal Justice Responses to Prison Overcrowding in EaP countries” for high level authorities from EaP countries, which will take place on 18 February 2016 in Tbilisi (Georgia).