Information on „Pilot penitentiary complexes” project
Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021
BENEFICIARIES:
Central Board of Prison Service in partnership with Academy of Justice and Norwegian Prison Service
TOTAL WORTH OF THE PROJECT:
56 471 000,00 EUR
IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD:
4 November 2020 – 30 April 2024
On 4 November 2020, an agreement between the Ministry of Justice and the Central Board of Prison Service was concluded on the implementation of the project, which formally regulated the start of the project.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the project is to implement innovative actions aimed at improving the penitentiary system in Poland which allows for a reduction in the level of recidivism. The scope of the tasks was defined as a result of cooperation with project partners and includes the implementation of three complementary modules to achieve the expected results. In addition, given the partner character of the project, each module assumes the organization of a number of bilateral activities involving the Norwegian partners. The scope of the partners’ tasks is defined in the partnership contract.
The actions planned under the project are aimed at creating the optimum conditions for prison sentences, as well as maximising the benefits of the support provided by remodelling the training system of the Prison Service staff so that it can be professionally trained both during the implementation of the project and many years after it has been completed. Taking into account the necessity of the project activities being continued in the long term following the completion of the project, it was assumed that the functioning of the penitentiary complexes would be based on the proven mechanisms set out in the existing legislation. Such an approach will not necessitate any legislative change, which could jeopardize the sustainability of the project. The application of the system solutions assumes that the training realised in the project will continue after the completion of its implementation periods. The development of common in-service solutions will result in the possibility of using them after the project is completed using lower financial resources. The sustainability of the solutions will also be ensured through the construction of infrastructure and the development of appropriate rehabilitation programs for prisoners. In respect of the prison staff, sustainable development will be achieved by analysing the competency gaps that will serve as a basis for developing post-project training programs for prison staff, as well as integrating project effects into the Academy of Justice curricula. In order to ensure the sustainability of the project, resources will be secured to cover the maintenance costs and insurance of fixed assets purchased under the project and to continue the solutions adopted, including for example the functioning of the established diagnostic and forecasting system and the training system of the Prison Service staff.
PROJECT’S MAIN LINES OF ACTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- Module no 1 „Pilot Penitentiary complexes” Details
- Module no 2 „Modernization of the training system for the Prison Service staff” Details
- Module no 3 „Development and implementation of a tool for estimating the risk of return of persons serving custodial sentence to crime” Details
- Project management, cooperation with Norwegian partners and promotional and informational activities
