PrisClim Project Round Table Opportunities, Experiences and Challenges of Working in the Prison and Probation System Held at the Pilar Institute; Zagreb, 02/11/2026
As part of the activities of the PrisClim project (2024 – 2027, funded by NextGenerationEU), and with the aim of strengthening gender and sex equality and fostering an institutional orientation towards a gender- and sex-equal environment, the round table Opportunities, Experiences and Challenges of Working in the Prison and Probation System was held at the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences on 2 November 2026. The round table included two presentations and a panel discussion
The round table was opened by Prof. Željko Holjevac, PhD, Director of the Pilar Institute, and Zvonimir Penić, Acting Director of the Directorate for Prison System and Probation.
PrisClim Project Leader Ines Sučić, PhD, and research team members Anja Wertag, PhD, and Vicko Ćudina presented project results on the topic “Job Demands, Resources and Well-being of Correctional Officers”. The results showed that female and male officers generally perceive their work in a similar way, and that the differences identified in perceived job demands, resources and well-being are few and small.
An invited lecture on “The Role and Position of Women in the Prison System of the Republic of Croatia” was given by Marta Cifrek-Kolarić, univ. spec. act. soc., from the Department of Psychology, University of Zadar. The data presented show that the share of women among prison system employees in Croatia rose between 2009 and 2025 almost to the European Union average, although significant differences remain in the proportions of female and male officers, both among staff in specific departments and in managerial positions.
The panel discussion featured: Željko Klarić, Senior Judicial Police Supervisor, and Anamarija Marijašević, Head of the Department for the Development of Training Programmes for Prison and Probation Staff, both from the Training Centre; Diana Malec, Chief Supervisor in the Security Department of Lipovica-Popovača Prison; Matea Sršen, Head of Probation Office Zagreb I; Ana Kujundžić Svalina, Head of the Treatment Department of Split Jail; and Denis Vusić, Head of the Treatment Department of Lepoglava Prison. The discussion was moderated by Igor Mikloušić, PhD, from the Pilar Institute. The participants shared their experiences and views on various aspects of working in the prison and probation system. They discussed sources of job satisfaction and stress, the gap between formal education and the actual requirements of the job, and ways of attracting new staff. They also addressed the perceptions and expectations of convicted persons/prisoners and staff regarding particular posts and “male” and “female” jobs, as well as the influence of gender and sex on the allocation of work tasks, access to training and career advancement. The participants further reflected on the conditions that need to be in place so that employees can safely and without hesitation report any belittling, unfair distribution of work or unequal treatment in the workplace. They also discussed the obstacles to and possibilities for reconciling work and private life, workload distribution, opportunities for professional development, and the need for psychological assistance and the provision of psychological support within the system.
The round table concluded that research is needed to provide genuine insight into sex and gender stereotypes, access to promotion, the distribution of demanding tasks, and the reasons for the under-representation of women in managerial positions in the Croatian prison and probation system. The following were highlighted as examples of good practice that foster an institutional orientation towards gender and sex equality: the establishment of an institutional plan and measures to strengthen gender and sex equality, the adoption of rules protecting against harassment and ensuring that they are accessible and known, and further improvement of the fairness and transparency of procedures and criteria for competence development and promotion.
It was also concluded that additional female and male officers need to be recruited and working conditions improved in order to maintain a functional system, prevent overload and burnout, and enable an adequate work–life balance. Continuous research into the psychosocial climate would contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of job demands, resources and well-being of officers, and to an adequate and timely response by the system. Support from colleagues and supervisors, their praise and feedback, and a supportive organisational climate were highlighted as the greatest resources, while greater availability and further normalisation of seeking psychological help would help staff cope with stressful work and life situations.
