From 13 to 14 June 2024, the “International Probation Forum: Towards Promotion of Non-Custodial Measures” took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and attended by representatives from five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – and Georgia. It was part of the European Union and UNODC co-funded JUST4ALL project that is implemented in partnership with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR).

The forum was dedicated to advancing probation reform, gathering experts and delegates from around the world and Central Asia. The event served as a platform to explore strategies for enhancing public awareness of probation services. Additionally, the impact of automation and digitalization within the probation system, including its potential benefits and challenges, was discussed.

The forum aimed to share knowledge and best practices on probation, provide a platform for dialogue between government officials, civil society organizations (CSOs), and international partners, strengthen networks and partnerships, as well as promote the JUST4ALL project and enhance the visibility of the European Union’s contributions through high-level engagement.

On the second day of the forum, a plenary session focused on digitalization in the probation sector was held. The session was hosted by Dmitry Nurumov, long-term expert at the LBI-GMR. The panel included two participants from Georgia (Vladimer Kheladze, Head of the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-Custodial Sentences and Probation, and Iason Nachkebia, Head of the Analytical Department the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-Custodial Sentences and Probation) as well as Altynbek Karabekov, Head of the Division of Accounting and Monitoring of the Probation Department under the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The session provided an in-depth look at Georgia’s innovative digital solutions for probation, including PROBBOX, Georgian digital self-service solution, which is the first in Europe to offer reporting and services for low-risk probation clients in public service halls and municipal buildings, extending beyond traditional probation bureaus. The panellists also discussed Georgia’s Risk and Needs Assessment Software that enables personalized rehabilitation plans. They also highlighted the Guidelines from the Confederation of European Probation (CEP) on integrating technology and digitalization in probation services.

Overall, the Forum highlighted the need for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to probation services in Central Asia and cross-regional cooperation. By leveraging European experience, strengthening professional networks, and integrating innovative technologies, the region can enhance its probation services and contribute to safer communities.

The project “Supporting Justice Reform in the Kyrgyz Republic: Promoting Probation and Integrated Justice Information Management (JUST4ALL)” is a four-year project co-funded by the European Union and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and implemented by the UNODC in partnership with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR). It promotes the humanisation of the criminal justice system in the Kyrgyz Republic and aims to improve the country’s capacity to implement its criminal justice reforms in line with international standards and norms as well as European best practices. The two main components of the project concern the following areas of criminal justice reform: probation and information management.