OSCE Presence in Albania trains probation officers on Offender Assessment System for Juveniles and Young Adults

On 15-18 July 2014, the OSCE Presence in Albania trained 30 probation officers from across the country as well as members of the General Directorate of the Probation Service. The training introduced the newly-developed Offender Assessment System for Juveniles and Young Adults (OASJ) and effective approaches to working with juvenile offenders. This assessment and related user manual was developed by a working group chaired by the Presence.

The OASJ is a structured assessment tool for all young offenders who come into contact with the criminal justice system. It looks at the young person’s offence and aims to identify the multitude of factors or circumstances - ranging from a lack of education to mental health problems - which may have contributed to such behaviour.

“Juveniles and young adults are particularly vulnerable in the justice system, and their treatment not only as victims and witnesses, but also as offenders by the judicial authorities is a litmus test for any society,” said the Head of the Presence’s Rule of Law and Human Rights Department, Fiorentina Azizi.

Ilir Qafa, the General Director of the Albanian Probation Service, said this institution works to achieve the professional treatment of juveniles on probation. “Due to the specifics of working with juvenile offenders and young adults, appropriate treatment is necessary for their full social integration. That’s why a structured assessment tool for all young offenders was developed in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania,” he said.

The training was organized as part of a project by the Presence to develop effective probation practices in Albania.

The Presence has played a key role in establishing the Probation Service in Albania, supporting this institution both through capacity-building activities, and helping it enhance co-operation with other institutions involved in alternatives to custody. The Presence has also played a significant role in the fields of juvenile justice and developing a child protection system in Albania.