EPTA Annual Conference 2014 (Report)

The 7th Conference of the European Penitentiary Training Academies (EPTA), organised by the Centre for Legal Studies and Specialised Training (CEJFE) took place in Barcelona, Catalonia,  on 25, 26 and 27 June 2014.

The conference was attended by delegates of Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Bavaria, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and Catalonia, whilst the representatives of Northern Ireland and Denmark presented apologies for their absence. Taking part in the conference as guests, there were also representatives of EuroPris, the European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, and Penal Reform International (PRI), the organisation that watches over the observation of human rights in the sphere of penal justice.

The conference closed one year of the EPTA Catalan presidency. The CEJFE  presidency was decided during the meeting held by EPTA in Ireland, in the summer of 2013. During its presidency, CEJFE has promoted the relationship between the different schools by drafting and disseminating their main data, and those of the respective prison administrations, through the creation of specific fact sheets; CEJFE has also opened formal contacts with EuroPris to appraise a possible framework for cooperation; it has created a website with information connected with the EPTA network, and the penitentiary academies of Bulgaria and Portugal were contacted in order to promote their preliminary participation as observers in this European network.

Click here to download the full report.