New members of CEP: Slovakian Constantine the Philosopher University and Ministry of Justice

Publication date: 9-2-2012

Article:

Although Slovakian pilot projects of probation and mediation in criminal procedures were carried out in 2002 and 2003, communication about Slovakian organization's membership of CEP started in 2006. The development of probation in Slovakia has moved fast. Slovakia had 5.4 million inhabitants (2009) and the prison population was 9.554 persons. The number of probation and mediation officers in Slovakia is changing (for example in March 2005 it was 78, in August of 2006 it was 112 and the last current number of 79 is from February 2010) (Lulei, 2010). Financial support of the Slovakian probation system increased from 0,73% in 2005 to 1,11% in 2007 of the state's prison service budget.

During the years 2006 and 2008 members of the Department of social work and social sciences of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra attended several CEP conferences and workshops. After that, in close contact about the possibilities of development of the Slovakian probation with Secretary General Mr. Leo Tigges, Constantine the Philosopher University became a member of CEP in 2011. Dr. Martin Lulei, teacher at Constantine the Philosoper University, explains the motivation to become a member: "The Department of social work and social sciences and its academics participated in several international projects in relation to CEP, to us well known for the DOMICE project. And I know that this year, the Slovakian Ministry of Justice is going to join CEP as well.'

‘At the moment,' continues Dr. Lulei, ‘documents about contemporary state of probation and its further development are being prepared by a section of crime prevention and mediation of Slovakian Ministry of Justice. It is research like this that fits in well with our involvement in the European probation network. We are looking forward to see further developments in this field in Slovakia.'