RAN PRISONS - The role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in exit work and DDR programmes in prisons and enhancing cooperation with state actors

Background and aim of the meeting

The importance of multi-agency work and collaboration between governments and civil society actors in the field of exit work has increased in recent years. There is a growing understanding that civil society organisations’ expertise and approaches working alongside state agencies contribute to the prevention of violence as well as the deradicalisation, disengagement and rehabilitation (DDR) of violent extremist or terrorist offenders (VETOs).

Within P/CVE, civil society actors have the potential to be perceived as being more trustworthy than security services or the prison administration. In addition, in virtue of their nature and set-up, CSOs can offer a more flexible approach and tailor their intervention on a micro-level. Thus, governments are making increasing use of the expertise, skills and knowledge provided by CSOs, both inside and outside of prisons. In many EU Member States, CSOs are already operating deradicalisation, reintegration and rehabilitation programmes in prisons.

However, this cooperation does not come without challenges. It requires multi-agency work and willingness to collaborate and highlights the need to establish a trusted working relationship, standard operating procedures, and set-ups for information exchange.

Previous RAN PRISONS Working Group and other meetings have discussed the topic of a multi-agency approach that includes CSOs, DDR programmes in prisons, rehabilitation programmes and efforts led by state agencies and CSOs, as well as the role of management in creating the conditions for P/CVE work in prison.

This meeting will address the different roles and working methods of CSOs in DDR programmes and interventions in the prison environment, the opportunities and challenges involved in this mutual work, as well as ways to enhance the cooperation and multi-agency collaboration between prison and CSO staff and other key stakeholders in providing effective exit work.

Call for participants

We are looking for participants with the following profile:

• Prison or probation staff and other state-employed practitioners who are involved in the management, treatment, and rehabilitation of VETOs inside and outside prison settings.
• CSO practitioners who implement DDR programmes or interventions in prison.

Application

If you are interested in participating in this meeting, please fill out this form by 20 October 2023. We will invite participants based on the information provided therein. Please keep in mind that we only have a limited number of places available for this meeting, so participation cannot be guaranteed.  

Practical

• The meeting will be held in English, without interpretation.
• Transportation, hotel, and meals during the meeting will be provided by RAN Practitioners.

On behalf of the RAN PRISONS Working Group Leaders: Diletta Berardinelli and Nadya Radkovska. 

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact niv [dot] zonisviolence-prevention-network [dot] de (Niv Zonis) or rositsa [dot] dzhekovaviolence-prevention-network [dot] de (Rositsa Dzhekova).