Probation In Romania: The Challenge Of Change
| Published date | 01 December 2001 |
| Author | Kate Jones |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455050104800404 |
| Date | 01 December 2001 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
269
Probation In Romania:
The Challenge Of
Change
Kate Jones reflects on her experiences as part of a government-funded
project which is assisting the development of a new Romanian
Probation Service. She explores the particular challenges of penal
reform within the Romanian context and discusses an emerging crisis
of Service identity which has remarkable resonance with the
UK experience.
Since 1996 the UK government has
been working with the Romanian
government to assist in the development of
a national Romanian Probation Service.
The project forms part of the work of the
Department for International Development
which finances technical support and
expertise through the ‘Know How Fund’. In
April 1999 I was able to travel to Arad,
Romania, for a three month period as a
probation fellow. Following this, I spent
most of 2000 working in a further three
experimental ‘probation centres’ ( s e e
below for a definition) around the country.
My role was to share practical knowledge
and experience with Romanian colleagues
and to assist in local project development
through interventions with the judiciary and
relevant public and voluntary sector
agencies. Three other UK practitioners
were involved in the scheme and based in
other centres.
This article, based on my experiences
over the last two years, aims to provide an
overview of the context in which probation
is developing in Romania and to link this to
the emerging shape of the national service
and the model of practice within it. The
views expressed are mine alone, unless
specified otherwise. It is to be noted that
further developments may have taken place
since this paper was completed.
Probation in Romania originated in Arad
Penitentiary in the west of the country in
1996. The initiative came from a small
group of interested individuals employed
within the prison. They were assisted by a
representative of a UK voluntary agency,
‘Europe to Europe’, working in partnership
with Exeter University and Devonshire
Probation Service. Initially, those involved
offered their services on a voluntary basis
and their activity was largely prison-based.
During the same period the UK/Romanian
govenmental partnership was forged. The
initial target group was identified as
juveniles, the intention being for this to be
extended in time. By 1997 Arad was
o fficially recognised as an experimental
‘probation centre’, this is a staff group
covering a specific geographical area,
engaged in piloting various methods and
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