Prison Service College
The Prison Service College trains future prison officers whose mission is to ensure order and safety in prisons while supporting opportunities for positive change and the reintegration of prisoners into society. The studies are practical and closely connected to real working life in correctional facilities, providing experience both in maintaining security and in guiding and counselling people.
The curriculum includes law, psychology, communication skills, crisis management, and the principles of preventive work. A strong emphasis is placed on hands-on training in prisons and cooperation with different units of the Estonian Prison Service to prepare students for responsible and multifaceted work. Graduates work as prison officers across Estonia, contributing to a safe and fair society.
The studies are conducted in Estonian and are open only to Estonian citizens.
Prison Service College Key research directions
It is focused on the effectiveness and implementation of strategies, methods and practices for the prevention of crime and the re-socialisation of individuals who have committed offences. For example, the college's lecturers have piloted an ethics programme in prison and analysed its immediate impact; in cooperation with students, they have also examined the situation and opportunities of elderly prisoners in Estonian prisons.
The functioning of the prison service, including its legal framework, work organisation, and daily prison activities, is examined. This research direction is illustrated, for example, by the analysis prison schedules van be redesigned so that they contribute to the resocialisation of prisoners. The reasons for voluntary resignation of officials who have acquired a correctional education and the importance of case managers’ language skills for the success of re-socialisation have also been discussed in depth – both studies are of particular importance, as the effectiveness of the resocialisation process is largely contingent upon the professionalism of officials.
The Prison Service College has the objective of supporting the implementation of the Fundamentals of Criminal Policy (until 2030) and the Prison Service Strategy through research and development.
The Prison Service College has set the objective of supporting the implementation of the Fundamentals of Criminal Policy (until 2030) and the Prison Service Strategy through research and development.
Among other things, the achievement of strategic goals depends on well-trained professionals, which is why the college has contributed to the development of professional textbooks for higher education. Recently published textbooks:
- Ethics textbook for the prison service
- Disciplinary proceedings in prison
- Administrative proceedings in prison
- Basic skills of correction
In addition to supporting national development, the college has collaborated with Norwegian, Belgian, and Finnish partners to publish a three-part international series of instructional materials on teaching about dynamic security. Alongside with probation officers from the Netherlands, Romania, Finland and Catalonia, the college has developed an online communication training simulation Dialogue Trainer to practice motivational interviewing techniques.