The need to have prison staff who speak foreign languages was discussed in 2000. Two language classrooms were opened to meet this requirement.
Between 2001 and 2005, general English courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced students were held. Each course was 10 weeks long and the participants met once a month.
A team of professionals was prepared for their mission at the United Nations Detention Unit ICTY in Hague in a two-week course in 2006. It focused on situation model training and effective conflict prevention strategies.
In 2015, one of the classrooms was modernised to better fit to interactive teaching methods. It can be considered one of the most stylish and inspiring language classrooms within European academies.
Since 2015, English courses have been designed to support professional English improvement of selected prison practitioners. The courses last about 90 hours (6 three-day meetings). The objectives and the contents of each course is developed to meet individual needs of the target group. The participants´ level of English is not important, as the methods are very progressive and effective. The results are impressive.
In addition to courses, English seminars are organized not only at the Academy, but also in the prison environment. In 2018, a group of English speaking prison professionals visited Hungarian and Romanian prisons within their language training. Some of the seminars are co-facilitated by foreign experts, for example Romanian, Polish or Texas. Participants representing other European prison systems as well as the Czech Probation and Mediation Service can also apply, which makes the meetings much more valued because exchange of information and experience can take place not only during the seminar but also during informal activities.
To reflect on the needs of Czech prisons to effectively communicate with their Polish partners, the Academy created an original language project in 2018. Polish seminars are organized led by Czech and Polish facilitators.
The unique language training system including its innovative approaches and methods is presented at international conferences focused on prison staff education and foreign partners consider it inspiring.