ICPA with an Observer status on the Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP)

On 30 June 2021, The International Corrections and Prisons Association was given an Observer status on the Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP) at the Council of Europe. Participation in this Council is a recognition of ICPA’s efforts to promote policies and standards for humane and effective correctional policies and practices worldwide.

The Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP) was created by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in June 1980 as an advisory body to the Steering Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC). It has a Working Group composed of nine members who meet four times a year and who are elected in their personal capacity by the CDPC. These are high-level representatives of prison administrations or services entrusted with implementing non-custodial sanctions or measures or researchers or other experts having a thorough knowledge of penological questions. The PC-CP drafts standard-setting texts, reports, opinions, collect information regarding the implementation by the prison and probation services of the relevant recommendations adopted by the Committee of Ministers, supervises the annual collection of statistical data related to prisons and non-custodial sanctions and measures (SPACE I & II), organises meetings and high-level conferences of the Directors of prison and probation services of the 47 member States.

ICPA is appreciative of this opportunity and believes that it will learn a lot and, hopefully, be able to contribute to the Council’s important work constructively!