Contribution to the implementation of criminal law in Romania

The project is implemented by GRADO in partnership with the Ministry of Justice – Probation Division, the National Administration of Penitenciaries, Penal Justice Reform Foundation and Transcena Asociation .

Project’s purpose:  To contribute to penal legislation implementation, in line with European standards.

Specific objectives: 

  1. Minimal standards to effectively implement community service development and approval.
  2. Developing a partnership between the penitenciary sistem, probation service and NGOs, in order to reintegrate persons sentenced to imprisonment.
  3. To contribute to the behavior and social reintegration efforts undertaken in the prison system.

Projects activities 

  1. Develop a minimum standard for performing community service programs. A working group with the participation of the Ministry of Justice, Probation Service, local authorities and NGOs will develop minimum standards for community service. The standards will be tested for 3 months in Vrancea, Bacau and Neamt counties. The final form will be finalized based on the experience accumulated during testing.
  2. Implementation of the minimum standard for the community service activities. An information campaign about standards (among judges, prosecutors, lawyers and NGOs) and a press conference (for the promotion among the general public) will be held.
  3. Preparing persons sentenced to imprisonment for release. GRADO and Transcena Associations will develop programs in order to reduce antisocial behavior and preparation for release in two prisons – Colibasi and Poarta Alba/ Valu lui Traian. Our intent is that, undertaken this activities, we will contribute to change imprisonment regime in a less restrictive one.
  4. Offering support to persons released from prisons. This activity is centrated on developing a social reintegration plan for persons convicted with custodial sentences. The persons benefiting from assistance whitin this activity are those who finalized the programs from the activity above.
  5. Working group to ellaborate a tool able to evaluate the detained person in prison environment and the criminogenic risks,  in order to establish or to change the enforcement regime. The working group will ellaborate a tool which will be used by the Commission to establish, individualize and change the enforcement custodial sentences regime, in order to change the regime for enforcement of custodial freedom.

Project duration: 16 months
Project co-financed by Open Society Foundation.