The Association of Social Welfare Officers (E.E.K.A.) has released an informational bulletin marking the first year of operation of the Ministry of Justice’s digital platform for community service. The bulletin highlights the 19-year experience of the Social Welfare Officers Services (Y.E.K.A.) in implementing community service and alternative sentences for adult offenders in Greece. These public services have operated since 2007 under the Ministry of Justice.
Community service is promoted as an alternative to incarceration, aiming for the social reintegration of offenders, recidivism reduction, and prison decongestion. Since 2007, over 15,000 community service sentences have been successfully completed. However, the bulletin identifies major challenges, including staff shortages, administrative overload, lack of infrastructure, and insufficient visibility of the officers’ work. The Association calls for institutional support, upgrading their role, and investing in restorative justice, to align Greece with European standards and improve its criminal justice system.
