Georgian authorities learn about the findings and benefits of therapeutic communities in prisons

The Pompidou Group workshop was held in Kobuleti (Georgia), presenting the findings and benefits of Therapeutic Communities (TC) in prisons for the treatment of substance use disorders. will take place on 30-31 July 2024. The event brought together representatives of the Georgian Special Penitentiary Service and the Ministry of Justice, as well as medical personnel and specialists of the rehabilitation service, as well as national and international TC experts to explore the implementation of TCs in Georgian prisons.

The main objective of the workshop was to provide the Georgian authorities with practical information on the establishment of a TC in prisons, its concept, objectives, benefits and effectiveness in detention facilities. In addition, the workshop aimed to support the Georgian authorities in their discussions on the introduction of the first TC in a prison in the country, which is expected to take place in Laituri in Western Georgia, drawing on similar experiences of the Pompidou Group in other countries in the region. Experts from Norway, Romania and the Republic of Moldova shared their experience and expertise in establishing TCs in their respective countries and discussed with the group the feasibility of introducing TCs in the Georgian penitentiary system.

At the end of the workshop, the Georgian delegation had gained a comprehensive understanding of TCs and their application in different Council of Europe member states. The event was an important step towards conducting a feasibility study on the introduction of TCs in Georgian prisons.

On the second day of the event, the group visited the newly constructed Laituri Prison. The workshop concluded with a plenary discussion that reaffirmed the commitment of Georgian institutions to further explore the potential of TCs to enhance rehabilitation and resocialization efforts in the Georgian penal system.

The workshop was organized under the Component of the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe project “Supporting reforms of the penitentiary system in Georgia”. The project is funded by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027.