The International Catholic Conference dedicated to the social integration of former prisoners held in Riga.

During 7-11 May 2015 in Riga held the International conference on pastoral care for those newly released after imprisonment. In framework of the conference held a seminar with a purpose to present a ministry to prevent recurrent offenses. Ukrainian experience of post-penitentiary care was explained by Archpriest Constantin Panteley and Paul Zahorodnov, employees of the Department of Pastoral Care in the power structures of Ukraine. During the stay in Latvia they visited Riga Archdiocese center for the rehabilitation of addicts and former prisoners, as well as the Riga central prison.

The bishop of the diocese Yelhava Edwards Pavlovskis made a theological introduction. Theme of the conference was that a large number of citizens who complete their sentences in prison could not find their place in society. Over 60% of re-offenses they commit during the first three months after release, and thus come again to prison.

The seminar, which has been held in the Dominican sisters monastery of St. Joseph were representatives of Catholic monastic and lay communities, ex-convicts, officials of organizations working with released from penal institutions. The key speakers were Martins Kruklis, Chief prison chaplain of Roman Catholic Church in Latvia, visitors from the United Kingdom Andy Keen Downs, Chief executive of the charitable organization the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) and Luke Carey, Service Manager Basic Caring Communities (PACT), officials of Latvian administration of prisons and probation service, the Association of resocialization and integration, as well as the Prison fellowship of Latvia.

The workshop presented more than a century experience of serving of organization the PACT in the UK *. The result of this ministry is a modern permanent Basic caring Communities project of support for former prisoners. Participants of seminar have learned methods of recruiting, training and coordination of volunteers who become are sort of partners that help former offenders return to normal life. They have Learned to evaluate the effectiveness of aid and changes in former inmates that help them gain a foothold in society. Participants discussed risks for volunteers and ex-prisoners, measures to improve the atmosphere of safety in society and the dynamics of group support.

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has experience of work with former prisoners in Drohobych Rehabilitation Center "Nazareth" for men and Lyubetch center "Transfiguration" for women. Serving this includes preparation of documents, social assistance at the threshold of their release from prison, primary care after release from custody and rehabilitation phases. The conference urged rethink approaches and to develop new assistance programs of former prisoners.

Information

The Prison Advice and Care Trust (pact) is an independent UK charity that provides practical services for prisoners and prisoners' families. First established as the Catholic Prisoners Aid Society in 1898, pact works at several prisons across England.

The charity runs a wide variety of services, including: family visitors' centres at prisons, offering information, advice and support to those visiting a prisoner; children's play services inside prison visits halls; 'first night in custody' support for new prisoners; pact lunch coffee bars at prisons; resettlement projects; and advice desks at courts. pact also campaigns for more government support for prisoners' families.