“Yes, I understand you.” The development of the probation system in Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, August 2023 – “In the past, we were mostly just supervising and controlling our clients, and I can clearly see that there were no results.”

 

Atyrgul, Elizat, and Aitolkun are three officers of the Probation Department of the Kyrgyz Republic, each with distinct professional backgrounds. Atyrgul has been a part of the criminal justice system since 2004, starting in the State Prison Service. Today, she serves as the Head of the Probation Department in Osh City. Elizat, on the other hand, brings extensive experience as a psychologist, having worked in universities and private practice. Aitolkun, the newest member, holds a law and advocacy background, making this her inaugural job opportunity.

What binds them together is their shared desire to comprehend their probation clients, facilitate their reintegration into society, and contribute to the safety of the Kyrgyz Republic.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the reasons behind a person's criminal actions – the societal influences, factors impacting their choices, and the challenges they encounter as they strive for change,” Aitolkun shared.

Elizat's realization came when she had the chance to collaborate with probation clients through a non-governmental organization. She recognized that her skills could be applied to assist them. “I found it fascinating to explore the depth of psychological knowledge and experience necessary to work with probation clients. I was eager to understand how I could further contribute to their well-being as an official member of the Probation Department.”

Kyrgyzstan’s new Probation Department

All three individuals are enthusiastic about the potential of Kyrgyzstan’s Probation Department, which was established just four years ago with support from UNODC. Over the past decade, UNODC has assisted the government in implementing comprehensive penal and prison reforms, thereby creating conditions conducive to the development of a modern probation institute. UNODC also played a role in the development of the Law on Probation, alongside other criminal legislation, which came into force in 2019. This legislation established the Probation Department as a standalone institution within the Ministry of Justice. Since then, UNODC has continued to assist the Probation Department in enhancing its capacity, with a particular focus on individuals convicted of terrorism and extremism charges.

As the most experienced among the three, Atyrgul has witnessed the changes that have unfolded in Kyrgyzstan’s penal system. One significant impact has been the shift in the system's focus from punishment to reintegration – a change that Atyrgul finds refreshing.

“Before the establishment of the Probation Department, our role mainly involved supervising and monitoring our clients by assessing their employment status and health. However, you reach a point where you start to feel a loss of humanity due to being constantly immersed in a system centered around control and punishment. This approach is quite limiting. With the current individualized approach to probation, I can contribute more towards helping clients reintegrate into society.”

This shift towards a focus on understanding and resocialization has also transformed Elizat’s perspective on her role. “I now recognize that the purpose of probation extends beyond assisting clients with documentation and verifying their residential or employment status. It's about reducing the likelihood of recidivism and preventing the repetition of crimes.”

Working with those convicted of terrorist and extremist offences

“Before working with terrorist and extremist clients, I thought it sounded very scary – I believed they would be fundamentally different from everyone else. However, when you work with them, you come to understand that the primary reason [for their susceptibility to extremist ideologies] often stems from low or complete lack of literacy,” Atyrgul explains.

Elizat, who has taken part in several UNODC training sessions focused on managing terrorist and extremist probation clients, points out that the most surprising revelation for her in learning about this high-risk group is the necessity to move beyond the ideologies the clients embrace and delve into the push and pull factors that compelled them to adopt these ideologies in the first place. “Previously, when evaluating risk, we never considered aspects such as their relationships with family and friends or the support system surrounding them, as our attention was solely fixed on the client.”

Today, Elizat and her colleagues are cognizant of the influence that an individual’s social circle has not only on the likelihood of initial criminal behavior but also on their capacity to reintegrate into society and prevent relapse into criminal activities.

Assessing risk and needs

Aitolkun and Atyrgul both reflected on the challenges of encouraging probation clients to open up and accept support for change. This can be particularly true for those convicted of offenses related to violent extremism. “While I was working in Aravan, we had 60 clients, and half of them were related to extremism. I once encountered a situation during an interview when a client said something [disruptive], and I didn't know how to respond. I felt frozen and completely unsure about how to react."

UNODC has collaborated with the new Probation Department to address these challenges, with a key focus on developing a risk and needs assessment tool. These assessments assist prison and probation officers in gaining a better understanding of the factors influencing an individual – both those that might heighten or alleviate the risks they pose, and the needs that must be fulfilled to promote positive outcomes. This enhancement improves safety, the likelihood of successful social reintegration, and contributes to reducing reoffending rates.

The development of this tool has been guided by international experience and best practices, drawing from the insights of the Probation Department of Latvia and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services of the District of Minnesota. The tools have been formulated with active contributions from probation officers in Kyrgyzstan.

For Elizat, this collaboration has been pivotal, as the tool has been tailored to suit Kyrgyzstan’s specific context. “This methodology, in my opinion, is aligned with our traditions, culture, and Kyrgyzstan's way of life, rather than being a mere compilation of elements used in international practice.”

Initially, Aitolkun was uncertain about this approach. “In the beginning, I was a bit lost. I didn’t understand some of the concepts or why they were important.” UNODC has not only aided in developing the tool but has also provided training to officers on its implementation. Following this training, Aitolkun's perspective has shifted, and she looks forward to assisting her fellow officers in utilizing the tool.

Into the future

Atyrgul is enthusiastic about the coming years for the Probation Department and believes that a key next step is to secure the support of the general public. “I have recently engaged in some outreach work. It provided us with a great opportunity to educate people about what probation actually entails, as many are unaware. We explained that instead of isolating clients, we need to collaborate with them. This shift requires a change in mindset: when people endorse reintegration, they are ensuring a safer community.”

 

Elizat also sees a promising future. She can already observe the positive impact that Kyrgyzstan's evolving approach to crime and punishment has had on her clients. “Clients need to feel that someone is in their corner. The moment I start talking to them, I realize their desire to share their life experiences and the challenges they've faced. You know, they genuinely feel comforted and at ease when I convey this sentiment: ‘Yes, I understand you.’

With thanks to our donor

These activities are carried out as part of the Post-release Monitoring and Probation of Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighter and Violent Extremist Offenders project, implemented by UNODC with the generous support of the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism. This project began in October 2021 and ends in September 2023.

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For more information, contact Vasilina Brazhko 

Communications and PR Specialist at 

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vasilina.brazhko [at] un.org