PH International

Bosnia Legal Socialization Program

Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Category: Community Development Programs

About

Web Site: http://www.ph-int.org/blsp/

The main purpose of the initiative is to assist the FBiH stakeholders in strengthening the rule of law and reducing the level of juvenile crime in this country. The pilot initiative will be implemented in the period from January 2017 to November 2018.

Objectives

It is expected that the initiative will contribute to achieving the following objectives:

1.      Crime among youth is decreased as youth gain a greater understanding and respect for the rule of law, legal issues and law enforcement authorities;

2.      Youth and public confidence in law enforcement is increased as skills and knowledge about the rule of law are applied in community settings in partnership with law enforcement authorities;

3.      Partnerships among federal and canton level Ministries and institutions working with youth on rule of law issues are reinforced and new relationships among these bodies, youth and communities established.

In tackling the issues of juvenile crime, PH will apply an integrated and innovative approach that educates youth on the law, raises community awareness on juvenile justice issues and develops cooperative partnerships between youth, educators, law enforcement and juvenile justice professionals.

Program News

BLSP RS/BD U.S. Study Tour | 29 Sep 2023

Between September 8-16, 2023, a one-week U.S. Study Tour was organized for key partners of the Bosnia Legal Socialization and Juvenile Crime Prevention Program in Republika Srpska and Brčko District (BLSP RS/BD). The delegation included five police officer program participants from the Republika Srpska, two police officers from Brčko District, a representative of the Faculty of Security Studies at the University of Banja Luka and three PH BLSP RS/BD program staff, serving as interpreters for the group. The goal of the Study Tour was to explore a variety of approaches developed in the northeastern U.S. to improve respect for the rule of law and civic responsibility among youth and reduce crime committed against and by youth; to identify programs that engender a positive relationship between juveniles and law enforcement authorities with potential application in Republika Srpska and Brčko District; and to collate resources and material for a Booklet on Internet Safety for youth to be developed by delegation members on their return to Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Thanks to Renee Berian who should be credited for the excellent organization of the Study Tour, together with Drew Diemar and Edward Cronin, 8 police officers had incredible experiences as they were given opportunities to have one-on-one discussions with their fellow police officers in Boston and New York. There were many highlights of the Study Tour, to name just a few: visiting Boston PD Police Academy, attending roll-call at Roxbury B-2 District of Boston PD   and going on ride-alongs with police officers headed by Captain Haseeb Hosein, visiting Fitchburg University and learning about their one-of-a-kind Police Academy Program, spending time with the amazing staff of the NYPD 41st Precinct Community Affairs Unit and the NYPD Police Athletic League in Bronx and hearing about the amazing work they do.....

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TWO ACTION PLANNING WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS (BLSP RS/BD) | 30 Aug 2023

Between August 28 - 30, 2023, two parallel Action Planning Workshops are taking place at  Termag hotel in Jahorina. The workshops are organized for teachers from 26 schools from Čelinca, Kotor Varoš, Gradiška, Mrkonjić Grad, Novi Grad, Prijedor, Teslić and Brčko district of BiH participating in the third year of the program "Legal Socialization and Juvenile Crime Prevention in Republika Srpska and Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina" (BLSP RS/BD). The workshops aim to strengthen participants' project proposal writing and mentoring skills. After the workshops, the participants will be able to develop action plans/proposals for small projects in their local communities. The workshops are organized as a part of the BLSP RS/BD activity 'Mini-grants for small projects in the local community.' A Public Call for small project proposals for mini-grants will be published at the beginning of September 2023.

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FIRST WORKSHOP FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNET SAFETY BOOKLET IN JAHORINA | 30 Aug 2023

On August 29, 2023, the first one-and-a-half-day workshop for developing an Internet safety booklet started in the hotel “Termag” in Jahorina. The booklet, whose content should include relevant topics related to the dangers of the internet for students and youth in Republika Srpska and Brčko District BiH, would be used as a guide for by parents, teachers, or police officers, i.e., anyone responsible for protecting children and youth. The booklet will be developed by the contracted internet safety expert Olivije Zimonja, Head of the Unit for Countering Cybercrime at the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior, together with a working group of 7 police officers who participate in the U.S. study visit. The finished booklet should be pocket-sized, reader-friendly, and appropriate for parents. It will be available in three official BH languages and English.

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Success Stories

"Stairway to heaven" | 4 Dec 2017

This is a story about students, about learning and about making a positive change in one’s community. The students are from primary school “Ćamil Sijarić” from Nemila, one of 16 primary schools in two cantons: Zenica-Doboj and Herzegovina-Neretva. These 16 schools were selected by their respective cantonal ministers of education to take a part in the Legal socialization and juvenile crime prevention Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BLSP).The BLSP is implemented by PH international and funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
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