IN-CJ Podcast 039 – Jana Spero and Gustav Tallving
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Leadership in Criminal Justice is changing and adapting to a new set of circumstances that are increasingly international in scope, bourne by the introduction of new technologies, and built on the realisation that what works must be examined holistically and developmentally. In this episode of the IN-CJ podcast, John Scott talks with Jana Špero and Gustav Tallving about their leadership roles in criminal justice support organisations that work across Europe.
Jana Špero took office as the Secretary General of the Confederation of European Probation (CEP) on September 1, 2022, becoming the eleventh person to hold this position. Prior to this role, she served as the Director-General for Prisons and Probation in Croatia and was a board member and Vice-President of the CEP. She holds a Master of Law degree and is a Master-Specialist of Criminal Investigation.
Throughout her career, Špero has been actively involved in the development of probation services, participating in various activities such as workshops, round tables, and projects. Her expertise has been sought in countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Greece. Furthermore, she has played an integral role in the presentation of the Croatian Probation Service at numerous international conferences and has led various European Union and Norway Grants projects that were aimed at strengthening the Probation Service in Croatia.
Colleagues at the CEP anticipate that Špero will build on the organisation’s existing efforts to establish a robust, ethically oriented, and diverse professional community. Her new role is expected to inspire more women to pursue management careers in the challenging but rewarding field of criminal justice. Špero’s track record as an imaginative, dynamic, and effective leader, combined with her commitment to the worth of probation and its European values, position her as a crucial voice for probation in Europe. She is expected to continue to maintain, promote, and expand the CEP network, stimulate the exchange of knowledge on probation, and partner in relevant EU projects.
Gustav Tallving assumed the position of Executive Director of EuroPris on April 15, 2021. Before taking on this role, Tallving had a rich professional history spanning 17 years in the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, holding various positions over that period. His experience in the field extends beyond Sweden; he has acquired a deep understanding of correctional systems throughout Europe and other parts of the world.
In addition to his domestic work, Tallving also previously collaborated with EuroPris from 2017 to 2019 in a part-time secondment as a policy officer. This experience allowed him to deepen his familiarity with the organisation and its mission.
As he transitioned into the role of Executive Director, he received support from his predecessor, Kirsten Hawlitschek, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity of leadership within the organisation. His extensive experience in the field of prison and probation services, as well as his previous involvement with EuroPris, equip him with the knowledge and skills needed to lead the organisation effectively.
International Strategic Leadership in Criminal Justice
What does it mean to lead at an international level in probation and prison services? This question shaped the conversation in IN-CJ Podcast 039, where Jana Špero (Secretary General of the Confederation of European Probation) and Gustav Tallving (Executive Director of EuroPris) joined John Scott to discuss strategy, leadership, and collaboration across Europe.
Špero described her journey from the Croatian Ministry of Justice to leading CEP, highlighting how building a probation service from the ground up taught her the importance of shared values, professionalisation, and international learning. Tallving outlined his own path from probation in Sweden to heading EuroPris, stressing how cross-national cooperation broadens understanding and prevents isolation in leadership roles.
Both emphasised that effective strategy cannot be a “copy-paste” exercise across borders. Instead, successful leadership involves adapting principles to national contexts while holding fast to common values such as human rights and rehabilitation. They argued that international networking is not only about sharing best practice but also about agenda-setting: ensuring that prison and probation voices influence European policy debates at the Council of Europe and the European Commission.
Key strategic challenges identified included staffing shortages, the need to attract and retain skilled officers, and the importance of recognising probation and prison work as professional careers. They also pointed to digitalisation, artificial intelligence, radicalisation, and mental health as major emerging priorities. Flexibility, they suggested, is vital: leaders must be able to hold a steady strategic direction while also adapting to crises such as pandemics or sudden policy shifts.
The podcast underscored that leadership in criminal justice is both a values-driven and a practical task. For Špero, the metaphor was of a family: an international probation community bound by shared purpose and mutual support. For Tallving, it was about resilience and clarity of mission: knowing the purpose of your organisation and building strategy on that foundation. Both agreed that by working together, probation and prison services can strengthen their role within the wider justice chain and better serve society.
