Updates from the project on community services for drug offenders in Albania

By Aksion Plus

The Implementation of National Network of Community Services for Offenders Project in Albania represents the collaboration between the Partnership Associations and Probation Service. The membership associations are Aksion Plus, Refraction and Shelter for Abused Woman. The project is financed by European Commission, Soros and World Bank. This project has been implemented for the past two years, during which the Network has achieved many objectives, but most importantly, has been delivering concrete services to the targeted groups: the rehabilitation and re-integration of ex-offenders in their community.

Recently the Network conducted an assessment of the implementation of the project, in particular the way concrete cases have been addressed and tackled. At the end of the assessment, the Network published a study entittled: The Effectiveness of the Implementation of Alternative Sentence in Albania. The most important issues highlighted in this publication are as below:

• A historical overview of Albanian legislation since 1912 regarding Alternative Sentencing,
• The national and the international legal framework related to the Probation Service,
• The existing legislation in Albania,
• An analysis of the Criminal Code articles and amendments

The authors also conducted interviews with judges, prosecutors, attorneys at law, and representatives of Probation Service and ex-offenders.

Upcoming events

In the framework of the National Network of Community Services for Offenders Project, a National Conference will take place on 12 December 2011. This conference will be attended by the Probation Services staff, partner associations, experts of the field, representatives of the EU Delegation, UNICEF, OSCE and other local donors. The main objective of this event is to share common achievemnts due to Alternative Sentence Implementation and to assure further collaboration between parts.

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