The project
This project, sponsored by the European Commission, consisted of three seminars, two of which took place in Strasbourg in 2014 and 2015 and one in Trier in 2015. Each seminar focussed on a different aspect of the supervision of matters relating to detention, with the aim having been to provide practical training for a broad spectrum of legal professionals and practitioners in the field of detention.
The concept
Each seminar was targeted at judges, prosecutors, lawyers in private practice and officials from ministries, prison administrations, the probation system and prison monitoring bodies (approx. 50 participants per seminar) from all Member States, EEA and Candidate Countries. Each training event lasted 1 ½ days.
Programme
The programme offered a mix of training methods, from lectures to interactive workshops. At the heart of the training was an analysis of detention issues and steps to improve conditions, as well as alternatives to imprisonment. Participants' application of relevant instruments was improved through real-time training and knowledge-sharing. Mutual trust between participants was strengthened through a better understanding of European Court of Human Rights case law.
Networking opportunities
This project supported networking by giving the participants from various EU Member States and candidate countries the opportunity to make personal contacts with other participants and speakers, leading to an exchange of best practice and experience in the course of the offered training.
Organiser and Partners
The project was organised by the Academy of European Law (ERA) in partnership with Fair Trials International, the Council of Europe, European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services (EuroPris), International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO), Polish Human Rights Defender, German National Agency for the Prevention of Torture, Spanish Ombudsman and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN)