Report series 29. Prison Systems in Central and Eastern Europe

The correctional system throughout Central and Eastern Europe has undergone a massive evolution over the past ten years. Aside from some first-hand accounts by ex-prisoners and individual,staff members, however, little reliable information has been available on how prison administrations are meeting the challenge of renewing the correctional regime in a time of increasing crime rates, a fall in available resources and total reforms of the basic legislation. Mr Roy Walmsley (Home Office, United Kingdom) has undertaken to fill this gap. Based on his extensive experience in corrections, he has sought to describe what problems correctional authorities are facing in the different countries, using as his frame of reference the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and the European Prison Rules developed by the Council of Europe. The result is a fascinating study of how dedicated professionals have been able to cope with change, and have in many cases succeeded in reforming corrections with very limited resources.