developing the curriculum of the modern PRISON OFFICER
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BSAFE Lab is committed to take a leading role in contributing to the development of the 21st-century European prison officer's professional profile.
BSAFE Lab has taken the lead of the DACUM (Developing a curriculum) online workshop, on November 16th 2020, with representatives of Portuguese prison officers, in the scope of PO21 European Prison Officers for the 21st Century.
The workshop focused on working on the definition of the functional role, skills, competences and the required training of the 21st-century prison officer, under the PO21 Sector Skills Alliance.
This DACUM workshop was the first of three workshops to be held in Portugal, under the PO21 project, and similar initiatives have taken place in different European countries. Along with the National Trade Union of the Prison Guard Corps – SNCGP, the Portuguese DACUM workshop has involved the national partners of the project: IPS_Innovative Prison Systems and the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services.
What should be the profile of the 21st-century prison officer?
What are the changes that have occurred and should occur in their job, and their profile of skills? Moreover, what kind of training should prison officers have? And, what are the implications for correctional administrations and correctional training academies?
These are some of the questions that are at the heart of PO21, a project that seeks to fill the gaps and divergences in the professional class of prison officers across the European Union, by identifying existing and emerging skills needs.
Moreover, the project aims at strengthening the exchange of knowledge and practices, and it will adapt vocational education and training to skills needs. At the same time, PO21 promotes the enhancement of qualification standards in the sector, with a particular emphasis on digital skills.