Bi- and multilateral cooperation

Nordic cooperation

The Nordic countries have a long history of intergovernmental cooperation. The directors general of the prison and probation services of the Nordic countries meet annually, and the experts of specific areas work together regularly. The topics of the cooperation groups include, among others, security and safety, work with the clients, prison building and real estates, and human resources and well-being at work. In addition, the Nordic countries have active networks focusing on research and statistics and electronic monitoring. As the societies and penal systems of the Nordic countries are so similar, it is easy to compare them and learn from others’ experiences. In fact, the penal systems of the Nordic countries form a distinct group, which stands out from other countries.

Cooperation with the Baltic States

In the Baltic region, the closest cooperation partner of Finland is Estonia. Finland and Estonia have both direct intergovernmental cooperation and separate projects financed externally. Latvia and Lithuania, on the other hand, have carried out several projects funded by, among others, the EU and the Nordic Council of Ministers in which the Prison and Probation Service of Finland has participated. The Nordic Council of Ministers, for example, supports prison and probation visits to the Baltic States through the Nordic Mobility programme.