On 07 November 2024, with the support of the Council of Europe project "Towards more humane conditions of detention and reduced reoffending in Ukraine" (DECOPRIS), an updated training module on dynamic security developed by the project's international expert, Dr Sarah Lewis, was presented. The event was attended by representatives of the Penitentiary Academy of Ukraine, the Department for Execution of Criminal Sanctions of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the Council of Europe.

The updated module aims to increase the competence of penitentiary staff in creating a safe and rehabilitative environment by ensuring active interaction with prisoners. The updated module will be the basis for an online course that will be posted on the Penitentiary Academy website. This course will provide an opportunity for employees of penitentiary institutions to improve their skills by gaining access to modern methods and recommendations in the field of human rights and prevention of ill-treatment.

The main aspects of the module include:

• An overview of dynamic security: a focus on creating an environment of trust between staff and prisoners.
• New theoretical approaches: taking into account trauma-informed practice and cultural competence.
• Professional and ethical standards: compliance with procedural law and ethical boundaries.
• Practical skills: use of de-escalation techniques, empathic interaction and stress reduction for staff.

These updates are aimed at humanising the penitentiary system and ensuring compliance with international human rights standards. During the presentation, the participants learned about the benefits of implementing dynamic security, including reducing violence, improving the working atmosphere and creating a long-term positive impact on organisational culture.

International expert Dr Sarah Lewis presented the updated content of the module, which includes new sections covering global trends, practical exercises, de-escalation techniques and cultural competence support. The updated module also contains interactive elements, such as flashcards, tests and reflective questions, which contribute to better learning and reflect best practices in the educational process. The module pays special attention to compliance with international human rights standards aimed at ensuring humane treatment, security, rehabilitation and social reintegration of prisoners.

In order to expand access to the material and provide a deeper understanding of the theoretical foundations of the module, it is also planned to create a study guide that will become an additional resource for the online course and ensure that the updated module can be used in a wide range of training programmes of the Penitentiary Academy.

The DECOPRIS project would like to express its gratitude to the Penitentiary Academy of Ukraine and its acting rector, Ms Yulia Petrovska, for their cooperation in the development of the updated module, support in organising the event and cooperation in raising the professional level of penitentiary staff.