Activities

PROVIDUS carries out research and policy analysis about criminal justice policy implemented in Latvia and works out proposals for improving policy enforcement in such areas as criminal punishment, criminal procedure and criminal law. PROVIDUS aims at fostering fair criminal law, which protects interests of the individual and society, provides efficient conflict resolution, protection and support for victims, crime prevention and reduction of recidivism and re-integration of the offenders in society. Under criminal justice programme PROVIDUS is actively working to facilitate reform of criminal penalty enforcement system, introduction of new criminal procedure institutions, protection of victims rights, implementation of probation services and other topical issues of criminal justice policy. PROVIDUS has successful co-operation with the Ministry of Justice, Prisons Board, prisons, State Probation Service, Prosecutor’s Office, police and NGOs.

 

Penal policy and alternatives for pre-trial detention

Latvia is still one of the leaders in Europe by the proportion of detained persons. Therefore PROVIDUS continues implementing the programme launched in 2003 with an aim to decrease the number of persons placed in remand prisons by setting up pre-trial supervision services. Pre-trial supervision services have been already established in several cities in Latvia. PROVIDUS has been also involved in working out of national policy on pre-trial supervision as alternative security measure.

Researchers: Ilona Kronberga

Liability of police

Democratic on service provision and society-oriented police, is an integral part of a law-based and democratic society. To facilitate police accountability towards society is one of our priorities under criminal justice programme. PROVIDUS research activities and awareness raising events are aimed at evaluating and improving police performance.  PROVIDUS also works with improvement of police complaints review mechanism, as well as to designs different training modules for police officers. In the beginning of 2006 PROVIDUS has started project about police performance evaluation and community policing. The project has three focus areas: community involvement in police work; public confidence and satisfaction with policing; strategic priority setting for crime prevention, public safety and police performance.

Researchers: Ilona Kronberga

Victims’ rights advocacy

Restoration of justice in society is impossible without ensuring the rights and needs of the victims. Therefore in 2004 PROVIDUS started to work in area of victims’ rights protection with an aim to initiate development and implementation of efficient state compensation mechanism for victims of violent crime. Starting from May 2005 PROVIDUS actively participated in drafting legislative framework that regulates establishment of state compensation scheme. PROVIDUS also carries out informative and educative activities for law enforcement institutions and wider public on victims’ rights and restorative justice, as well as develops co-operation with NGOs and law enforcement agencies paying particular attention to police work with the victims.

Researcher: Ilona Kronberga