UNMIK/PR/1483
PRISTINA – The Kosovo Correctional Service (KCS) now has a Kosovan Commissioner, Xhevat Mexhuani, who was appointed yesterday by the Penal Management Division (PMD) of the Department of Justice.
KCS Commissioner Mexhuani joined the Kosovo Correctional Service in June 2000 and performed several officer and management roles both in the field and at KCS HQ. He successfully completed all the management and advanced prison leadership courses conducted by PMD and ‘Swiss Development Cooperation’.
The selection of the KCS Commissioner was done by a promotion board composed of five international panel members including a Senior International Prosecutor and a prison specialist contracted by the Swiss Government. A total of 8 applicants were considered.
Over the next two months, the new KCS Commissioner will undergo extensive training and coaching in preparation for assuming full responsibility for the prison services.
Established in November 1999, the KCS is currently managed by the Penal Management Division. PMD has over the years been implementing a strategic and systematic process for handing over responsibilities to the KCS. The transition of full responsibility to the Kosovo Correctional Service is scheduled for 31 March 2006.
The Kosovo Correctional Service is comprised of 1,629 personnel. Currently, there are five detention centres located in Gjilan/Gnjilane, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Pejë/Peć, Pristina and Prizren, and two prisons in Dubrava/Dubrave and Lipjan/Lipljan with an overall prisoner capacity of 1,550. At present the prison population is close to 1,300 prisoners.
