The main driving force in preventing and combating radicalisation and extremism inside prisons is their staff. Therefore, investing in human potential, providing a system of professional development as well as protecting well-being and mental health of staff is crucial for ensuring effective rehabilitation and reintegration of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and other inmates vulnerable to radicalisation, and with that ensuring secure prisons.

It is with this idea in mind that the Council of Europe for the first time focused on strengthening well-being and mental health of prison staff working with VEPs and other prisoners vulnerable to radicalisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by developing guidelines with proposed internal and external mechanisms of support in relation to prevention, detection and intervention measures.

The development of guidelines was followed by a pilot awareness-raising workshop on stress and burnout in Foca and Zenica prison. Prison staff from different departments who attended the workshops expressed the need to continue working on this matter and establish different mechanisms but also to overcome the stigma that surrounds mental health.

In this regard an evaluation session was held on 3 December 2024 in Banja Luka to assess and analyse the impact of mechanisms piloted in the two mentioned prisons and to present the evaluation report prepared by a Council of Europe consultant.

The members of the working group, consisting of professionals from Bijeljina, Zenica, Banja Luka, State prison, and the three justice ministries in Bosnia and Herzegovia, reviewed the outcomes of the piloting phase and agreed on the next actions required for ensuring continuous support to prison staff and adequate institutional responses for improving their well-being and mental health.

Moreover, the participants agreed that additional effort is needed and expressed their appreciation to the Council of Europe for its support.

This activity was implemented under the framework of the Council of Europe action “Ensuring sustainable penitentiary actions in managing rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners in Bosnia and Herzegovina (ESPA-VEP)” funded under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025.