How to improve the training of European Prison Officers with an evidence-based solution

Pedro das Neves, CEO of IPS_Innovative Prison Systems, Luís Neves of the PJ – Judiciary Police in Portugal, and Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves of the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services in Portugal took the stage, at the Welcome Session of the PO21 Final conference, to deliver introductory speeches about the importance of the PO21 – Prison officers for the 21st century project and its potential to change the future of prison officer training in the EU.

The PO21 Final Conference took place in Lisbon, on January 26th 2023, Portugal, bringing together representatives from prison services, training academies, trade unions, universities, and organizations from thirteen countries.

The three-year project aims to improve the recruiting and training of European Correctional Officers. At the conference, experts discussed and presented the PO21 – European Prison Officers for the 21st Century project’s results, including policy recommendations, comprehensive training curricula, an online knowledge repository, and critical incident case methodology. These results aim to respond to current skills needs and future challenges in the field of correctional officer training.

The event was organized by IPS_Innovative Prison Systems, together with the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (Portugal), and the ICPA International Corrections and Prisons Association.