Round-table discussion entitled "State Probation Service: Expectations and Perspectives of Development"

On 22 November, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Suren Krmoyan participated in the round-table discussion entitled "State Probation Service: Expectations and Perspectives of Development". It was organised by the "Civil Society Institute" non-governmental organisation, jointly with the State Probation Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia.

The goal of the discussion was to introduce the newly created State Probation Service, its structure, functions and objectives, the expectations of the Service and the potential challenges in order to help increase public awareness.

Greeting the attendees, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Suren Krmoyan presented the main peculiarities of the activities of the State Probation Service, as well as the instruments developed for identifying and assessing the risks and needs of a beneficiary.

Suren Krmoyan emphasised that the Service works with each convict individually and that the introduction of the Service will essentially reduce recidivism.

The Deputy Minister also touched upon the pilot probation programme carried out in the Shengavit Administrative District of Yerevan and in Vanadzor, the ideology of restorative justice and the activities that have been carried out over the past couple of months.

Let us remind that on 18 May 2016, the National Assembly adopted the Law "On probation", and the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia “On the establishment of the State Probation Service within the structure of the Ministry of Justice” entered into force on 1 September, marking the launch of the activities of the Service.