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“The offender can bribe the probation service employee in order to get a favorable report. The probation service and other state employees must be well paid in order not to try making money from other sources, and that is the main method of avoiding corruption”, - said international expert Martin Seddon (United Kingdom), responding to a question regarding corruption risks during a student seminar in the Yerevan State University (YSU) Faculty of Law Courtroom held in the frameworks of “Assistance in creation of probation service in Armenia” project.

It should be noted that according to the Concept paper on probation service, the body carrying out criminal prosecution at pre-trial procedures, at its own discretion, presents a motion to the Probation Service to submit a report on the person in order to determine on preventive measures. The body carrying out the procedure, however, is not obliged to appeal to the probation service.

In other words, the Probation service in Armenia will be a support service for the decision making body, whereas the final decision making remains with the court.

The introduction of probation service in Armenia is anticipated in 2016.

The Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia Suren Krmoyan, who was also present at the seminar, said that this issue had also been considered in the probation service concept paper. The report will be of advisory nature, as the legislation prescribes the shape it must have. According to the Deputy Minister, it will be based on factual circumstances, it will objectively describe the person, his relations in the family and at work, as well as social status.

The project is implemented by the Council of Europe, sponsored by Norwegian government.