Rescue Humanitarian Organization organized a visit to Danmark in the period 24 August – 1st September 2007.This was purposed for an experience exchange between the staff of the three penitenciaries visited in Danmark and the two delegations on behalf of the penitenciaries in Aiud and Arad from Romania.
The target locations were three penitenciaries and a center for children with problems.
The coordinator of the visiting programme was Mr. Thorkil Jorgensen, who hosted the two delegations during their stay in Danmark.
The two delegations were composed of inspector Sabau Ciprian, vice director for psychosocial intervention, Tarcau Liviu Iulian, Orthodox priest, and chief subinspector Oniga Vasile, educator, as representatives of Aiud Penitenciary, and respectively, subinspector Dan Halchin, unit director, inspector Adrian Briciu – head of the external security service and subinspector Paul Popa – psychologist officer, as representatives of Arad Penitenciary.

Several details regarding the form of organization and functioning of the penitenciaries:

The Penitenciary in Renbaek – an open penitenciary, which, nevertheless, has under surveillance all access ways to the unit and certain points within the premises, through a modern and efficient video system. In this penitenciary the emphasis is on knowing the inmate and the background this one comes from, so that he or she is well prepared for going back into the society after achieving one’s sentence. This is done by the social workers, who have the expertise for it.

The center for children with problems in Vejle. The inhabitants of this center are criminal underaged and underaged with disabilities. The institution is methodologically subordinated to the Social Ministry, and financed by the local authorities. The center impresses by several aspects: the large area stretching over 20 hectares, by the large number of staff (the rapport employee/beneficiary is 1/1) and especially by the many facilities for spending leisure time in a constructive manner designed for the underaged.

Eastjylland Penitenciary Horsens. The most recent penitenciary in Danmark was built from scratch on the same location of the old one. The Penitenciary is a maximum security one, the rapport employee/beneficiary is 1/1. As a comment, the number of the inmates of other nationalities is larger than the Danish one.

Vestre Penitenciary in Copenhagen. In this penitenciary are mostly kept the persons in process of penal pursuit, so the educational activities are adapted to the specific of the inmate population.

Conclusions:
 

• after studying the presentation material of the penitenciary in Eastjylland Horsens, including the main educational programs that are held, the delegation of Aiud Penitenciary have shown their intention to use some of the programmes within their own activities
• Subsequent to the request of the Romanian delegates of certain detailed information on the educational programmes that are held, they were promised to be disposed with this information in electronic format.
• The Romanian delegations decided to donate a number of 200 books in Romanian, from several fields, for the Romanian persons who are in Vestre Penitenciary in Copenhagen. They will be handed over and transported by Mr. Thorkil Jorgensen.
• Mr. Thorkil Jorgensen proposed that in November, this year, there would be a book launching event in Aiud and Arad. This book belongs to a former Danish inmate, an expert in martial arts – Tony Anthony. The respective book grasps the real experience which the author lived both before and during his detention. Therefore, he can be an example of rehabilitation for the persons deprived of liberty kept in Aiud, and Arad, and elsewhere. It was also specified that the author intends to participate in a series of group discussions, with the purpose of direct sharing of his life experience. The activity is to be planned in detail within the next period of time.

            Other parnership possibilities discussed with the Danish part are: developping the agricultural sector of Aiud Penitenciary, considering the rich experience of Mr. Thorkil in this area; the editting and printing of a booklet with subjects specific to the penitenciary area, with the participation of inmates from several penitenciaries in the country.