International conference gathered over 30 institutions and organizations in “Boyana” residence

(3 April) International conference „Improving inter-agency collaboration between government institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquency. Exchange of experience and best practice” was carried out in “Boyana” residence.
The conference was organized in the frames of the project with the same name of Crime Prevention Fund – IGA, with the financial support of Global Opportunity Fund (GOF) at the British Foreign Embassy. The project started in the beginning of 2005 with the partnership of the National Institute of Justice, the Central commission for prevention of juvenile delinquency, selected Municipalities, Local commissions for prevention of juvenile delinquency, District and Regional courts and police departments, Sofia Capital municipality. The forum was carried out as an end of the project with the aim to further the improving of the collaboration between the institutions and between them and the nongovernmental organizations as well as an opportunity for exchanging of experience and good practices in the field of the interagency collaboration.
Participation in the conference took Rumen Petkov – Minister of the interior, Ana Karaivanova – deputy-minister of justice, His Excellency Jeremy Hill – Ambassador of Great Britain, Octavian Bivol – representative of UNICEF for Bulgaria, Yordanka Fandakova – deputy-mayor of Sofia Municipality, experts and representatives of institutions and organizations, which work in the field on the prevention of juvenile delinquency. Bob Ashford – Director of Youth Justice Board of UK and Maggie Blyth – consultant, ex-YJB senior official arrived specially for the conference. Steve Pitts from the Probation Project at the Ministry of Justice and Barbara Henkes from Human Rights Education Associates, USA, were the other foreign speakers at the event. Big interest among the participants provoked the report of the Minister of interior Rumen Petkov, who presented up-to-date information about the juvenile delinquency situation in the country.
On the picture: Part from the participants in the conference: Petar Vasilev – Director of General Directorate “Execution of penalties”, Ministry of justice, Dimitar Rusinov – Program Director of Fund – IGA, Rumen Petkov – Minister of interior, His Excellency Jeremy Hill – Ambassador of Great Britain and Yordanka Fandakova – deputy-mayor of Sofia Municipality.

Probation officers from all the country – on training seminar organized from IGA

From 16 to 18 March in Velingrad was carried out educational seminar for probation officers from all the country. 28 probation officers from all Municipality probation services in Bulgaria took part in it. The aim of the training was to introduce the Instrument SIOR, developed on the basis of the Instrument for risk assessment ASSET – structured instrument, developed for the Youth Offending Teams of England and Wales and purposed for all juvenile offenders, who come in touch with the criminal justice system. The instrument ASSET is adapted for the Bulgarian conditions from a team under the leadership of Ass. Professor Vladimir Velinov – court psychiatrist, head of Clinic for Forensic Psychology and Forensic Psychiatry and Konstantin Tomanov – secretary of the CCPJD at the Council of Ministers. In the agenda were included also training in psycho-dynamic interview and the lecture “International legislation in the field of crime prevention and combating to the nonage – legal and institutional frame of the Bulgarian approach. Comparative legal analysis”. The film of the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales “Making it count in court” was also introduced. Participation in the seminar took Valentina Karaganova – head of Department “Social Activity in Prisons and Probation” in General Directorate “Execution of penalties”, Ministry of justice. The seminar was carried within IGA’s project “Improving inter-agency collaboration between government institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquency”, with the financial support of Global Opportunity Fund to the British Foreign Ministry.

Belovo, Peshtera and Septemvri are developing Strategies for prevention of juvenile delinquency together with IGA

The municipalities Belovo, Peshtera and Septemvri began the development of Municipality strategies for prevention of juvenile delinquency and their reintegration along with Fund – IGA. The Strategies will be focused on the work with juveniles, registered in Child Pedagogic Office (CPO), the Local commission for prevention of juvenile delinquency (LCPJD), released from institutions as well as primary crime prevention and their forms in the school. Regarding this from the previous day (7th February) in Velingrad started two-days seminar on theme “Development of Municipality strategy for crime prevention and reintegration of juveniles” for the three Municipalities. The chairman of District court – Pazardjik Georgi Shopov, representatives of Regional prosecution – Pazardjik and RPD – Pazardjik participated with their own reports. Participation in the meeting took also the deputy-governor of District Pazardjik Angel Cholakov, the chairwoman of Municipality council – Septemvri Stoilka Dobreva, deputy-mayors, Municipality secretaries, LCPJD secretaries, CPO inspectors, judge from Regional court – Peshtera, the experts from the Municipalities Belovo, Pestera and Septemvri as well as directors from specialized schools from the region. During the first day the representatives had the opportunity to hear the reports on theme “Antisoacial behavior and juvenile delinquency in the region and the institutions”. The secretaries of the LCPJD and the CPO inspectors presented an “Analysis of the situation with the juvenile delinquency” in the Municipalities Belovo, Pestera and Septemvri. During the second day a Strategy plan – frame of the three Municipality strategies was developed. The other Municipalities that showed interest to work with Fund – IGA on the Municipality strategies for prevention of juvenile delinquency and their reintegration, are Vratsa and Sofia Municipality – “Triaditza” Region. The strategies are developed in the frames of Fund – IGA project “Improving the international collaboration in the field of prevention of juvenile delinquency”. The project is financially supported from Global Opportunity Fund at the British Foreign Affairs Ministry.

How the institutions have to cooperate to improve the prevention of the juvenile crime was discussed on a seminar

The fourth seminar from the series of regional forums in the frames of project of Fund – IGA, financed from Global Opportunity Fund (GOF) to the British Home Office, was carried out in the end of the previous week. In the resort of BRC Lozen were gathered representatives of the municipality administration of Sofia Municipality, region “Triaditsa”, Sofia Municipality police, Central prison – Sofia, Regional Education Inspectorate(REI) of MES, the Central commission and Regional commissions against juvenile delinquency, school principles, pedagogical advisors, inspectors from District Probation Service and others. They got acquainted with the project “Improving inter-agency collaboration between governmental institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquency” on which Fund – IGA worked more then one year. The participants listened lection about the essence of the risk evaluation system – ASSET – structural instrument, developed for the teams for juvenile justice in England and Wales and purposed for all juvenile offenders who are “in touch” with the criminal justice system Valentina Karaganova – chairwoman of Department “Correctional activity in detention facilities and probation” towards General Directorate “Execution of penalties” introduced the situation concerning the probation system in the country. Dr. Veselin Tenev from Clinic for forensic psychology and forensic psychiatry presented the be-psycho-social model in the work with young offenders. The Director of Sofia Central prison - Mileti Oresharski read a lection on theme “The prison and the possibilities for public-private partnership”. A big interest between the participants provoked the movie “To convince the court”, delivered from the National Directorate on probation of England and Wales. Similar seminars were carried out in Vratsa, Silistra and Pleven and until the end of the project is foreseen that the number of seminars will turn to be 12. Main aim of the project is to support the improvement of interagency collaboration, which will allow the bringing of the European standards in the area of juvenile justice and crime prevention in Bulgaria without any problems.

IGA and Municipality of Sofia signed Memorandum for common activities on crime prevention

Yesterday in Hall №5 of Sofia Municipality on a special press-conference the Mayor Boiko Borisov signed Memorandum for common activities on crime prevention with Crime Prevention Fund – IGA. According to the signed document “the sides will unify their efforts to make an effective and stable model of Municipal strategy for prevention and counteraction against crime, as well as for protection of the society and the individual citizens from criminal acts”. Sofia Municipality, Crime Prevention Fund – IGA, Central Commission for fighting whit the Anti-social Juvenile Activities and the National Justice Institute begin adаptation of ASSET – system for evaluation of the risk of re-offending by juvenile offenders, prepared by experts of Oxford University. Global Opportunity Fund (GOF) to the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs /Home Office/ funded the adaptation of this model and the experts from the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales, Bob Ashford, Maggie Blyth and Kerry Baker will teach and assist the Bulgarian specialists who will use the instrument. The aim is to help people working with young offenders to define more effective programs, which to use in the work with this group. After the yesterday presentation of the British system for re-action of the juvenile delinquency and the ASSET instrument, today the work meetings continue. On 8th and 9th June with the participation of English experts will be carried out a training of the expert group, which will adapt the instrument.

Third seminar improves the interagency collaboration

The third from twelve seminars, organized in the frames of project of Crime Prevention Fund – IGA “Improving inter-agency collaboration between government institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquency” was carried out in the end of the last week in Pleven. After Vratza and Silistra representatives of a lot of institutions – the municipality, Regional Prosecution, Directors “Social assistance”, RPD, District probation service, nongovernmental organizations and others gathered in order to learn about the project of Fund – IGA, as well as the international and European standards in the area of juvenile delinquency, the experience in the delivering of social services to offenders and the creating of local models for inter-agency collaboration. The secretary of LCPJD Dimitar Penkov presented an analysis of the regional situation of juvenile delinquency. Illustration of the discussed themes were the movies “Making it count in court” and “Punishment whit purpose”. The seminar was organized with the support of Association “Developing of the person and the human communities” – partner of Fund – IGA for the region of Pleven. On the same day local working group within project “ENTER”, funded by MATRA program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs was created. It gathered representatives of the Prison government of Belene and Pleven Prisons, the District probation service, the Director of “Labor Bureau”, the Director of Directorate “Social Assistance”, representatives of the nongovernmental sector and others.

IGA presented in Sofia Municipality project for international collaboration

On 28th February in the conference hall of Sofia Municipality a working meeting was carried out, with the initiative of Crime Prevention Fund – IGA. At the meeting Marina Manolcheva – Executive Director of IGA and Dimitar Rusinov – Program Director, made a presentation of project “Improving inter-agency collaboration between government institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquency”. They introduced the activities performed until the present. Participation in the meeting took Liliana Sabeva from section “Order and security” of Sofia Municipality, подп. Violeta Alandjiiska – head of group “Children` s crime” to the Criminal police Dept. – Sofia Department of Interior Affairs-SDVR, Dora Mihailova – expert in ЦКБППМН, 24th representatives of МКБППМН in Sofia Municipality and 18th representatives of DPC Movement for Rights and Freedoms , Sofia Department of Interior Affair-SDVR. The representatives finalize the discuss whit the decision to carry out 2 trainings of the representatives, working in МКБППМН, DPC- Movement for Rights and Freedoms and SDVR- Sofia Department of Interior Affairs.

Sofia Municipality wants partnership with IGA

National working group within project “Improving inter-agency collaboration between government institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquency” was established at the end of the week in Sofia. Sofia Municipality became host of the event that gathered representatives of the legislative authority, ministries and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations and experts. The forum defined the aims and the tasks of the national working group and made plan – time table of the meetings. Active participation in the meeting took the partners from Sofia Municipality – deputy majors Tsvetan Tsvetanov and Yordanka Fandakova. As a representative of the funding organization, participation in the meeting took Ian Stewart from the British Embassy. The project is realize from Fund – IGA, Pazardjik in partnership with Capital Municipality, The Central commission for prevention of juvenile delinquency and The National Institute of justice, and whit the financial support of Global Opportunity Fund to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The meeting in Silistra improving the collaboration between the institutions

On 8th and 9th February drawing big interest was carried out the second from 12th regional meetings, organized since the end of the last year within project of Crime Prevention Fund – IGA “.“Improving inter-agency collaboration between government institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquen”. After Vratza host of the event became the District Center of Silistra. In front of about 30 persons – representatives of the District guidance, Regional prosecution office, Office of “Social support”, Regional police department, Probation service, Center for working with children, nongovernmental organizations, public tutors etc, the project of Crime Prevention Fund – IGA, International European Standards in the area of the youth justice, the experience of IGA in the presentation of the social services of offenders, the creating of local models for interagency collaboration, as well as the system for valuation of the risk ASSET – essence, priorities, applicable in Bulgarian conditions etc. were presented . The Secretary of LCPJD Velislava Andreeva presented analysis of the regional situation of youth crime. Two movies – “Making it count in court” and “Punishment with a purpose” illustrated and complemented the discussed themes. The press – conference in the end of the meeting gathered reporters and local media, who showed their interest towards the discussed themes by numerous questions and proved one more time the timeliness in the realization of the project, carried out with the financial support of Global Opportunity Fund.

IGA starts series of regional seminars in the country

On December 9th and 10th in the Hall of the Army Club in Vratza a regional seminar was staged within IGA’s project “Improving interagency collaboration in the field of juvenile delinquency”, financed by Global Opportunity Fund at the FCO of UK. This is the first of 12 regional seminars to be organised throughout the country until the end of 2006. During the two days the participant discussed topics related to the European and UN standards in this field, the Asset risk assessment tool, problems and mechanisms for work with violent children and children victims of violence, the British model of juvenile delinquency system, the analysis of the situation of juvenile delinquency in Vratza region etc. Konstantin Tomanov, Secretary of the Central Commission for Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (CCPJD) made comprehensive analysis of the Bulgarian legislation and the international standards in this field in the context of Bulgaria’s accession to the EU. More than 30 people took part in the seminar, among them the Deputy mayor of Vratza Municipality Mr. V. Marinski, the Director of “Social Assistance Directorate”, the Chief of “Child Protection Department”, the Vratza prison Director, the Chief of the District Probation Service, representative of the District Government, the Secretary of the Local CPJD, public tutors, inspectors from the Child Pedagogic Office at the police, local NGOs. In the end of the forum the participants united on the idea to prepare and sign a consensus protocol for concrete activities on local level for prevention of juvenile delinquency.

 Experts from the Youth Justice Board – Lectors in the training seminar within IGA’ project

On 7th September in the winter resort Pamporovo starts the first training seminar within the project of Regional Fund – IGA “Improving inter-agency collaboration between government institutions, local government, judiciary system and civil society for introducing European standards for prevention of juvenile delinquency” funded by Global Opportunity Fund to the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the framework of 5 days the experts from the British Youth Justice Board Maggie Blyth and Bob Ashford will train representatives of the Local Commissions for Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency from the whole country in effective practices and models for inter-agency collaboration. The seminar is organized by Regional Fund – IGA in partnership with the National Institute of Justice. The seminar continues until 11th September.