Civil Society & Crime Prevention

1. Civil Society & Crime Prevention Riga, 2015 Avo Üprus, chairman of Prison Fellowship Estonia, founder of Baltic Crime Prevention Institute and Victim Support Services

2. Restorative justice • Crime is violence against people and relationships. • It is important to get things right again. • In requires the participation of the victim, offender and society, to look for solutions that encourage healing.

3. Estonia 2015 • Population 1,3m • Territory 45,500 km • Crimes 40,000 • Under probation 5319 • Prisons 4 • Prisoners 2784 • Costs 48 676 213 • 30 000 NGO-s

4. EKAK and other basic documents • The Estonian Civil Society Development Concept (EKAK) is a document which describes the different roles of the public sector and the non-profit sector which supplement each other, and the co-operation principles in developing and implementing public policies and building up the civic society in Estonia.

5. National Foundation of Civil Society’s (NFCS) NGO Fund • National Foundation of Civil Society (NFCS) is state financed civil society fund in Estonia. • NFCS was established by the Estonian Government on February 18, 2008. • Executor of the founder's rights is Ministry of the Interior.

6. How Does it Work? Estonian Civil Society Development Concept (EKAK) Development Plan for Civic Initiative Support 2007-2010 (KATA) Civil Society Development Plan 2011-2014 (KODAR)

7. Church and Society A protocol of common interests has been made between the Government and Estonian Council of Churches. A working committee of EELC and the Government has been put together.

8. Participation with • The commitees for planning and observing the distribution of structural funds. • Conducting and carrying out development-documents for local governments. • Partnership-contracts • Projects, public procurements, offering services etc • Conducting and carrying out national development plans

9. Prison Reform • 10 years ago Estonia had 10 prisons • The cost for one prisoner is 1000€ per month Three old prisons were closed in last decade. One old Prison thatwas closed ... →t By 2018 we will close the last 3 old prisons buildings and build a new one.

10. New prison near Tallinn

11. Baroness Vivien Stern: • “Itmeansbadusageoftheresourcesinthecountriesineconomicaldifficulties. Ifpenal reform ispossibleinthecountriesineconomicaldifficultiesthenthepriority must besharpdiminutionofthe number ofpeopletobe sent inprison and takingintousethecheaper, but no lesseffectivecommonsanctions” (Stern, 1999).

12. Recidivism • Everyotherex-prisonercommits a newcrimewithin a year – thisratehasbeen a stableforyears at 48-49% • WHY? • Becausetheimprisonmentisdestroyinghumanityand dignityofhumanbeings

13. Ask them

14. First we should restore the person, a human being.

15. What can we do about it? • Rebuilding dignity and humanity • New role model • Pro Social Adult • SEL SID SON

16. Prison Fellowship Estonia PrisonFellowship Estonia has a uniquehorizontalnetwork, including: • Aftercareservices and rehabilitationprograms • Prisonwork (programs) • Victimsupport • Crimepreventionprograms • Streetchildren/ children at risk

17. BKI Baltic Institute for Crime Prevention and Social Rehabilitation (BKI) was established in the year 2000. The mission of the Institute is spiritual and moral healing of society through implementation of restorative justice.

18. Healing That mission realizes the healing of harmed persons, their relationships and community. The output of restorative approach is cooperation between public- and third sector for crime prevention.

19. BKI activities • „Grayingprisoners” • „Remorse and Forgiveness” • VictimEmpathyProgram • TrainingprogramofPlacationofAggressiveness • „ImprovingKnowledge and PracticeofRestorativeJustice • Justiceinitiatives • InformalGateMentoring

20. IGM assupport system for ex-offenders • Support persons or mentors can work with those prisonerswho are due to be released soon &people imprisoned in open prisons.Theyprovideextrasupporttopersonsreleased on paroleinadditiontoprobationarysupervisors, butprimarilythesupportpersonservicehastobe aimed at peoplereleasedfromimprisonment on term.

21. Management scheme • 1. Sharing information about service with prison officials. • 2. The officials of the prison will introduce the service to the prisoners who might be in need for suchservice. • 3. The prison will notify the Regional Coordinator of the number of releasees of that period who are interested in support persons • 4. The Coordinator will look up support persons. • 5. Providing the support person service (the role and precise duties of the support person have been specified above) • 6. Building networks outside (local Governements, NGO-s and parishes etc). • 7. SEL, SID, SON. Long time support.

22. Activitiesofthe mentor • 1. Basic training 45 hours • 2. Prisonvisits (6 monthsbeforerelease).. • 3. A writtencontract • 4. Thesupportperson and prisonofficialwillmapthecoping and problemsoftheprisoner on thebasisof risk factorstopreparetheprisonerforrelease. • 5. Preparing a detailedreleaseplan. • 6. Social and personal network. building. • 7. Uponrelease, thesupportpersonwillhelpthereleaseetoperforminitialoperations and alsotoadjustinthecommunity. • 9.. Fieldwork and supportafterrelease (6 months). • 10. Changinginformation and covisions.

23. Give them a voice!

24. RESPECT • Respect or respectful treatmentis a human right. Guaranteeing this right is the obligation of the prison administration.This approach is possible and there should be courses provided for the prison officials on this issue. • Dignity is a cornerstone for rehabilitation. By restoring the dignity we build a humane society of human beings.

25. Thank You! Avo Üprus Avo.uprus@eelk.ee www.crimeless.eu