In response to the increase of the number of trainers from 2 to 12, the Council of Europe continues to assist in enhancing the capacities of the Albanian Training Centre for prison staff by holding a Training of Trainers (ToT) in Vlora from 10 to 12 May for 31 penitentiary staff with different profiles.

Guided by three international consultants and the Head of the Centre, the ToT participants increased their understanding of two topics that are high on the agenda of the national correctional services: management and treatment of sex offenders and convicts with a history of family violence.

The ToT combined methodological aspects with content knowledge and an exercise in drafting of Risk and Needs Assessment to inform courts and approach to therapy of such offenders. At the end of the training the participants drafted, under the leadership of the Deputy Director General of Prison Administration, a ten-point plan of action for identifying, treating and managing of the abovementioned category of prisoners.

The session was conducted in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme ”Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye – Phase III”, and in particular Action on “Enhancing the protection of Human Rights of prisoners in Albania”.