Director of the Penal Sanctions Enforcement Administration Dejan Carević assessed today that the state's cooperation with non-governmental organisations and the local community was key to enhancing post-penal acceptance of ex-convicts as a form of crime prevention.

“Getting out of prison and back to the community is a major change for convicts, especially for those who served long-term sentences, remained without family support and are not ready enough to deal with everyday problems they come across after being released from prison”, Carević told a round table organised to mark the establishment of the Network for Post-Penal Support in Serbia.

For that reason - he pointed out - the Administration strongly supports the establishment of this Network which recognises the importance of providing assistance to former convicts. He recalled that the preparation for release is done by treatment officers who provide convicts with assistance in exercising their rights in terms of obtaining identity documents, health care and temporary accommodation.

Carević also stated that, a year before, the Administration had launched a pilot project entitled “Club - Step by Step” within the Sombor Commissioner’s Service Office and Correctional Institution with a view to providing post-penal assistance to former prisoners, persons released on parole and members of their families.

Ambassador Andrea Orizio, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, welcomed the establishment of the Network gathering more than 20 organisations from all over Serbia, and stressed that it would provide significant support to former offenders.

Network’s President Slobodan Arsenijević said that the organisation would provide assistance to former convicts to address their life issues after being released from prison in the form of advice on employment, medical treatment and other matters.