Penal system reform awaits Norwegian funds

VILNIUS - The Ministry of Justice may receive 8 million euros of Norwegian funding to continue the modernization of Lithuania’s penal system, reports ELTA. The funds would be allocated out of Norwegian Financial Mechanisms support funds.

The Ministry of Justice has drawn up a program - Detention Including Penalties without Imprisonment - which plans a number of measures to improve the operation of detention centers.
“The main focus will be on the means for providing better preparation for the release of convicts so that they would commit less repeat offenses. Most of the public safety depends on how effectively they will be re-educated,” says Deputy Justice Minister Gytis Andrulionis.

“The money will also be used to improve the infrastructure of prisons in order to cut the cost of convicts’ maintenance and for an efficiency increase in the overall penal system. We have submitted proposals for the funding of specific measures and we hope that the decision on funding will be announced this autumn,” said the deputy minister.
It is planned that once Norwegian financial support is received, all of the reform measures of Lithuania’s detention institutions will be implemented by, at the latest, 2016.