7th ICT in Prisons Workshop in Split

The international workshop ‘7th ICT in Prisons Workshop - Offender Management Systems: The Heart of the Digital Prison’, organised by EuroPris and the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation was held in Split on 3-4 April

The aim of the workshop was to strengthen the competences of the European community of prison professionals in the field of information systems development for the management of criminal sanctions enforcement processes.

The seventh edition of the workshop, which has gained cult status among European prison professionals over the last decade, gathered 50 participants from 20 countries. During the two-day programme, knowledge, experience and good practices were exchanged in the development of the so-called Offender Management System (OMS) - information systems that are the basis for the digitalisation of prison processes.

The workshop was opened by EuroPris Executive Director Gustav Tallving and State Secretary Vedrana Šimundža Nikolić, who welcomed the participants on behalf of the Ministry and stressed the importance of active participation and mutual cooperation.

She pointed out that the workshop was not only a platform for knowledge exchange, but also an inspiration for further development and strengthening of partnerships in creating the prison systems of the future - safer, more efficient and more focused on rehabilitation, with the help of ICT technologies.

Director General for the Prison System and Probation Zvonimir Penić spoke about the work of the Croatian prison system, with an emphasis on digital transformation and the application of information and communication technologies.

The workshop was coordinated by EuroPris ICT Expert Group, headed by a representative of the Ministry, Marjan Lukavečki, who participated in the event as a moderator, panellist and exhibitor.

Vesna Zelić Ferenčić also contributed to the content by presenting the Erasmus+ project ‘Virtual reality - a tool in the treatment of criminal offenders and training of probation officers’.

Participants discussed practical challenges and experiences of developing and modernizing OMS systems in different European countries. Despite differences in approaches, system sizes and legislative frameworks, there is a clear recognition of the common need for standardisation, interoperability and greater use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence.

The Offender Management System (OMS) is a key tool for the transition of prison systems towards digitally supported rehabilitation, and such international meetings are essential for joint progress and coordinated development at European level.