This summary is based upon information provided by participants from

Phare partner countries (except host-country) on Registration for the TS.

Participants from the 12 Phare partner countries filled in a

Registration Form, developed by the sub-regional team. This form covered

questions about their professional background and thematic focus with

regard to the programme of the TS. Furthermore, participants were asked to

give an evaluation of the usefulness of the background documents mailed,

and general information on the 'status quo' of the national discussion on

Harm Reduction in Prison, of networking and training possibilities.

The evaluation of these forms showed that a majority of participants

from Phare countries at the Thematic Seminar are employed in administrative

and health care functions in prisons and work with prisoners at the

"grass-root" level, but the governmental level was also well represented.

Feedback to the Seminar Programme showed that the focus of most

participants' interest was on concrete, practical issues of how to plan and

implement harm reduction services for prisoners. They were particularly

interested to learn about the Slovenian example through the prison visit

and several detailed presentations, to hear about experiences in western

European prisons and to discuss management and training issues related to

those working in prison.

The background documentation on recommendations and standards

distributed to participants was considered to be useful.

At the time of the TS, the topic "Harm reduction in prison" was

mainly discussed in small expert-circles in most Phare partner countries.

Great interest was expressed in joining a regional expert network on that

topic. Furthermore, the replies to the Registration Form showed that

training opportunities seem to be quite limited in the countries of the

region.