DECODEUR PROJECT

Developing a Methodology to Collect Data on Community Sanctions and Measures and Attrition Rates in Europe

The purpose of the DECODEUR project is to use the expertise available within the European Sourcebook Group and the Conférence permanente Européenne de la Probation (CEP) to improve and complement the standards developed so far for the definition and categorisation of community sanctions and measures.

The first aim of the project is to identify how sanctions and measures are imposed and measured initially by different European countries. Second, the attrition rate is analysed. Flow statistics can be used in order to follow the progress of a criminal case through the whole criminal justice system until a final decision is made. As many countries so far cannot provide such statistics, the project will also seek ways to interlink the different statistical databases. This information will then lead to the development of a new data collection instrument (questionnaire) to include both definitions and a methodology to provide specific indicators.

A more complete description of the criminal justice system will lead to the identification of how attrition rates differ, comparing the identification of suspects and the imposition of sanctions and measures between Member States and juveniles vs. adults. Finally, a report on project results describing the methodology and data availability for community sanctions and measures together with a database will be produced.

The Decodeur Project will last for 32 months (2011-2014). Four small conferences and a larger one will be held during the course of the project.

Please find here the final publication of the Decodeur project.

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