How to Promote Change: Strengthening the Professional Role within Restorative Justice, Probation Services, and Prisons
Barcelona, 1-4 July 2025
The 7th International Criminal Justice Summer Course will take place from the 1st to the 4th of July 2025 at the Centre for Legal Studies and Specialised Training (CEJFE) in Barcelona, Spain. Organised by the Criminal Justice Platform Europe (CJPE) in collaboration with CEJFE, the course brings together professionals from across Europe working in prisons, probation services, and restorative justice.
The theme of this edition is “How to Promote Change: Strengthening the Professional Role within Restorative Justice, Probation Services, and Prisons”.
Promoting change in the criminal justice field requires not only policy innovation but also strong, compassionate, and skilled professionals. This Summer Course explores how the individual and collective role of practitioners across prison, probation, and restorative justice systems can be enhanced to foster lasting transformation. With a practice-oriented approach, the programme offers insight into restorative communication, the power of working alliances, and the deeper meaning of change and transformation in justice settings. Participants will take part in three interactive workshop cycles, covering: restorative communication skills, the power of professional relationships, and the concept of transformation in justice settings. All attendees will rotate through each of the workshops. There will also be plenary sessions featuring innovative approaches to rehabilitation, social enterprise, trauma-informed practice, and the use of digital tools to support transformation. These will be complemented by study visits to criminal justice institutions in Catalonia, as well as networking opportunities including a welcome reception and a joint dinner.
Participants are encouraged to bring their experiences and actively contribute, making the course a collaborative learning environment aimed at practical impact and professional growth.
This is a unique international opportunity to meet and learn from fellow professionals working across Europe, sharing practices, exploring cultural differences, and identifying what truly works in building more humane and effective justice responses. The working language of the course is English.
Cost:
€450
Cancellation Policy:
Registration deadline:
16 June 2025.
For more information, you can contact:
EuroPris: secretariat@europris.org
CEP: secr@cep-probation.org
EFRJ: info@euforumrj.org
Criminal justice professionals regularly face conflict and exposure to violence. How they perceive, approach, and respond to these challenges can shape outcomes, influence relationships, and affect the broader context of their work. This workshop, led by senior victim-offender mediator Daniela Arieti, offers practical tools rooted in the principles of restorative justice to support professionals in navigating such situations constructively.
Through interactive exercises, role-play, and guided reflection, participants will develop or enhance key restorative communication skills, such as active listening, de-escalation, and needs-based dialogue. The workshop is tailored to real-world criminal justice settings, including probation and detention contexts, empowering attendees to manage tense interactions safely and effectively while promoting mutual understanding and meaningful resolution.
European Forum for Restorative Justice vzw
Herbert Hooverplein 10, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
+32 466209112 / info@euforumrj.org
Company number: 0474 656 137
Register of legal entities (Rechtspersonenregister): RPR Leuven
This page has been created with the financial support of the Justice Programme of the European Union
