Associated researcher
Andreea Ionescu, Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, West University of Timisoara. Since 2002 she taught and published in the fields of Developmental Psychology, Communication skills, and Applied Social Psychology. Psychotherapist certified by the European Association for Transactional Psychology. Experienced in Transactional Analysis applied in clinical, organizational and educational psychology/ psychological diagnosis and intervention. She has participated in the design and carrying out of the international FP7 research project Low Carbon at Work (LOCAW) led by University of Coruna (Spain). Her teaching/and facilitating expertise includes psychodiagnosis, health psychology and education for health, soft skills, and personal development workshops. She has extensive experience in teambuilding facilitation.
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Associated researcher
Liliana Santos Dias Lobato holds a degree in Clinical Psicology since 2000.
Since 2002, Liliana Lobato works as Clinical Psychologist at Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health of HCCB, where her main activities and responsibilities are:
- Consultation of Psychology in outpatient;
- Consultation of Psychology in hospital;
- Consultation to smoking cessation in Health Center - Covilhã;
- Consultation of youth and adolescents in the Health Center - Covilhã;
- Training (clinical sessions);
- Group Therapy;
- Training of social skills;
- Relax sessions;
- Psychoeducation;
- Supervisor of students internships from 2nd year of Master's degree in Clinical and Health Psychology at University of Beira Interior (UBI);
- Legal Skills (intelligence, personality, etc.)
Liliana Lobato also attended several training courses including:
- Psychological Intervention on Anxiety and Depression in Adult - 24 hours (ISPA)
- Basic Life Support - 4 hours (HCCB)
- Behavioral Therapies - 12 hours (ISPA)
- Clinical Neuropsychology - 80 hours (ISPA)
- Health and Safety at Work - 30 hours (CBHC)
- Initial Teacher Training - 99 hours (Cilan) - (CAP EDF No. 24883/2004)
- Stroke Prevention and Treatment in Addiction, 24 hours (HCCB)
- Recruiting and Selecting, 24 hours (ISPA)
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Associated researcher
Estela Alexandra Neves Landeiro holds a degree in Clinical Psychology and Counseling by Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias since 2000.
From April of 2003 to November of 2005, Estela worked as Military Psychologist at Portuguese Army.
Since December of 2005 works as Clinical Psychology at Psychological Service of HCCB, where her main activities and responsibilities are the assessment, support and psychotherapeutic intervention to inpatient and outpatient consultation in the following areas:
- Permanent Support to Infectious Diseases Service, Internal Medicine, Palliative Medicine and Alcoholism Treatment Unit at Hospital of Fundão.
- Outpatient: Clinic Psychology / Psychotherapy consultation in different psychopathologies, Alcohology consultation, Psychology / Palliative Medicine consultation and Support Grief consultation at Hospital of Fundão. Outpatient Psychology / Gastroenterology consultation since April 15th of 2011 and outpatient Oncology Psychology consultation at Day Hospital of Pêro da Covilhã Hospital since the February 21st of 2013;
- Supervisor of students Curriculum Stages in Clinical Psychology from Department of Psychology and Education in University of Beira Interior (UBI), since 2006;
- Supervisor for Internship for Health Psychology Course (2006) by University of Porto Lusiada.
- Supervisor for Internship for Postgraduate Palliative Care Course (2011), by School of Health of Viana do Castelo.
- Researcher in health and disease psychology
- Trainer in different areas of intervention in HCCB.
- Trainer in Psychology courses in different institutions.
- Participation and presentation of papers and posters at several conferences and trainings.
- Participation in trainings and events organized by the Volunteer Department of Hospital Center of Cova da Beira.
- Responsible for the Operating Procedure about Psychotherapeutic Assessment Batteries and Intervention in the Department of Psychology of Hospital of Fundão.
- Responsible for the Internal Procedure in the Department of Clinical Psychology of Hospital of Fundão.
- Responsible for the Performance and Creation of Databases Protocol of the Psychology Department of Hospital of Fundão.
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BSAFE LAB project/project proposal: Mental Illness and Prevention of Suicide in Portuguese Prisons (MIPS) | EEA Grants 2014
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Associated researcher
Maria João Rosa Gregório Pessoa holds a degree in Nursing since 1991.
Since 2001, Mª João work as graduate nurse at Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health of HCCB, where is responsible for external consultation and domiciliary service.
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BSAFE LAB project/project proposal: Mental Illness and Prevention of Suicide in Portuguese Prisons (MIPS) | EEA Grants 2014
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Associated researcher
Vitor Manuel Sainhas de Oliveira holds a degree in Medicine, since 1981. In 1990, Vitor post-graduated in Psychiatry. Since 1997, Vitor is a medical consultant. For May of 2011 to February of 2014, he was the Director of the Psychiatry and Mental Health Service in HCCB. Since March of 2014, Vitor is the Director of Psychiatry and Mental Health Department in HCCB.
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BSAFE LAB project/project proposal: Mental Illness and Prevention of Suicide in Portuguese Prisons (MIPS) | EEA Grants 2014
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Associated researcher
Medical doctor, specialized in abdominal surgery. Working in Romanian Prison Service since 1999. From 2004 director of Dej Prison Hospital. Main working area is managing health care services destined to inmate population. Interested in health care standards, alcohol and drugs, treatment of psychiatric ill inmates. Expertise in medical facilities management.
He is a Board Member of Salford University Centre for Prison Studies (UK) and member of numerous professional organizations such as American Telemedicine Association, American Correctional Association, International Association for Correctional Forensic Psychology and the International Corrections and Prisons Association.
He initiated and coordinated the development of telemedicine project in Romanian Prison Service and e-learning project for prison staff.
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- Managing health care services destined to inmate population;
- e-health;
- Interested in health care standards, alcohol and drugs, treatment of psychiatric ill inmates,e-learning;
- Expertise in medical facilities management, e-learning for prison staff.
Associated researcher
Born in 12/12/1946. Carlos Leitão is the head of service at the psichyatry department. He was a director of the psychiatry department at the CBCH til January 2014. He is an invited professor at the health sciences faculty of Universidade da Beira Interior. He is a tutor and class coordinator of psychiatry to 5º and 6º year medical students.
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BSAFE LAB project/project proposal: Mental Illness and Prevention of Suicide in Portuguese Prisons (MIPS) | EEA Grants 2014
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Associated researcher
Frank Porporino has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a career in corrections spanning more than 40 years as a front-line practitioner, senior manager, researcher, educator, trainer, and consultant. His public service began in 1974 as a psychologist in Canada’s oldest maximum-security prison, Kingston Penitentiary. Over the next 22 years he remained with the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), ending the public sector phase of his career as Director of Strategic Planning and Director General of Research and Development. From 1987 to 1994, he developed and managed a national program of research for the Correctional Service of Canada responsible for a budget of close to 1.5 million and supervising about 20 professional staff. Beginning in 1988, he was instrumental in introducing a correctional programming strategy throughout the federal correctional system in Canada, emphasizing an evidence-based framework for correctional practice that was subsequently emulated internationally.
Frank co-founded T3 Associates Training and Consulting Inc. in 1993 in order to provide research-based training and technical assistance in effective practice to correctional jurisdictions and social service agencies internationally. He has worked for numerous agencies throughout Canada and the United States, at the state and federal level, and for county-level probation and parole agencies, school districts, forensic psychiatric hospitals, employment agencies, and numerous community-based criminal justice agencies. Internationally, he has worked in more than 20 countries, including in the UK, Europe and the Scandinavian countries, Australia and New Zealand, and most recently in extensive engagements with the Singapore Ministry of Youth and Family Services, the Namibian Correctional Service in Africa and the Barbados Prison Service in the Caribbean. Frank was adjunct professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa from 1987-1994. He was on the elected Delegate Assembly of the American Correctional Association and served as a member of the ACA Program Council, Exemplary Practices Council, Professional Education Council, Correctional Employees Committee, Policy and Resolutions Committee, and the International Relations Committee. He served three terms as chairperson of the ACA Research Council and is past president of the American Association of Correctional Psychology. Frank also served four terms on the International Correctional Services Accreditation Panel established by the Home Office of England and Wales. He is on the Executive Board of the International Corrections & Prisons Association and co-chair of the Annual Conference Program Committee. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies at the Polytechnic of Namibia. Frank has been on the Editorial Boards of the Prison Journal and the Journal of Substance Use and Misuse and he was the founding editor of “Forum on Corrections Research”, a Canadian quarterly journal dedicated to promoting an effective, accountable and knowledge-based corrections.
In 1998 Frank was awarded the American Correctional Association Lejins Research Award, in 2003 the International Community Corrections Presidents Award, and in 2011 the Volunteers of America Maude Booth Award for his career contributions to research and program development in the field of corrections. He has authored numerous monographs, book chapters and journal articles on the assessment and treatment of offenders, has developed a dozen well respected cognitive-behavioral and motivational programs for both juvenile and adult offenders, and has also co-authored the book Coping, Behavior, and Adaptation in Prison Inmates (with E. Zamble, Springer-Verlag, 1988).
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Full researcher
Graça Esgalhado has a PhD in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Health Psychology. She graduated in Educational Psychology. Since 2007 to present she has been assistant professor at the Department of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Covilhã – Portugal. From 2009 to December 2013 was coordinator of the Department of Psychology and Education, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Covilhã – Portugal.
Personal page: https://www.ubi.pt/Pagina_Pessoal.aspx?id=mgpe
BSAFE LAB project/project proposal:
- BSafeR - European Research Network on Law Enforcement and Public Safety | COST 2014
- RISKIMAB - Evaluation of possible medical-social-behavioral risk factors, generating changes in the brain imaging | Horizon 2020
- IDECOM Innovation, Development and Communication for a better education in Prison System | Erasmus+
- ECOPRIS - Ecological Economics in Prison Administration Work | Erasmus+
- Systemic family therapy supporting reintegration of inmates in Their family and in the society | Erasmus+
- PROTEJUST Professionalization of Teaching in Correctional Criminal Justice | Erasmus +
- PREDUC GBL - Prison Education Game Based Learning | Erasmus+
- Training is performance - Improving leadership skills of top management of Romanian Prison Service | Erasmus+
- Improving expertise in the field of industrial relations | EC VP/2014/004 2014
- PhW4All - Prison healthy workplace for all | EEA Grants
- CIS GAME Critical Incidents Simulation Games | Horizon 2020
- Mental Illness and Prevention of Suicide in Portuguese Prisons (MIPS) | EEA Grants 2014
Publications:
- Lucas, C., Pereira, H., & Esgalhado, G. (2013). Ciúme e Sexualidade: Uma compreensão científica. Ed. 1. Lisboa: Placebo.
- Esgalhado, G. e Simões, F. (2010). Cognitive psychology: attention and memory. Lisboa: Edições Placebo (ISBN:978-989-8463-08-1).
- Esgalhado, G., Simões, F. e Pereira. H. (2010). Versão portuguesa do Teste Stroop de Cores e Palavras: Aferição para a infância e adolescência. Lisboa: Edições Placebo (ISBN:978-989-8463-10-4).
- H. Pereira, L. Branco, F. Simões, G. Esgalhado, e M. Afonso (2010) (Eds). Educação para a saúde, cidadania e desenvolvimento sustentado. Covilhã: Universidade da Beira Interior (ISBN: 978-989-96996-0-1).
- Damasceno, C. & Esgalhado, G. (2012). Validação das palavras neutras e emocionais para o teste stroop Emocional para o screening de risco suicida: Resultados com amostras portuguesas. In J. L. Pais Ribeiro, I. Leal, A. Pereira & S. Monteiro (Org.). Psicologia da saúde: Desafios à promoção da saúde em doenças crónicas. 1ª Edição. Lisboa: Placebo, Editora LDA.
- Reis, M. e Esgalhado, G. (2010). Importance of Social Support on the Psychological Well-being of Older Adults living in Assisted-living residences. In H. Pereira, L. Branco, F. Simões, G. Esgalhado e R. M. Afonso (Eds), Educação para a saúde: Cidadania e desenvolvimento sustentado (pp. 786-800.) Covilhã: UBI.
- Pereira, H. & Esgalhado, G. (2012). "The formation of homosexual identity in Latin America", International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology 1, 4: 169 - 178.
- Esgalhado, G. & Pereira, H. (2012). "The effect of gender and education in the Stroop test", International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology 1, 2: 77 - 86.
- Prata, T & Esgalhado, G.. (2012). Study about emotions in a sample of portuguese elderly university students. International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology, 1, 3: 317-328.
- Simões, F. Rodrigues, L.; Esgalhado, G. & Guimarães, C. (2009). Desenvolvimento do auto-conceito pela tutoria pedagógica por crianças do primeiro ciclo de sua autoria. Psicologia Escolar e Educacional, 12(2), 327-336.
Research topics:
The deadly attacks in Madrid (2004), London (2005), Glasgow (2007) and Stockholm (2010), followed by the foiled attempts and arrests in Copenhagen (2010) and Berlin (2011) and the recent attack in France (2015) have all contributed to move back the issue of violent extremism and “radicalisation” up on the European political agenda. Furthermore, political concerns about youth radicalization especially in Western Europe and North America gained momentum with the publication of alarmist intelligence reports and the news reports about European citizens flocking to Syria to fight, mostly alongside the Syrian opposition (Bigo, Bonelli Guittet & Ragazzi, 2014, Study for the LIBE Committee).
The need for an assessment of the threat posed by these groups is particularly clear in the recent EU Commission Declaration of January 2014 calling EUMS to increase their efforts to prevent radicalization and extremism. In the debate about radicalization and violent extremism, prisons are often described as “breeding grounds” for radicalisation. The criminologist Harvey Kushner argues that Western prisons are one of the main recruitment grounds for Al Qaeda (Kushner & Davis 2004). This should come as no surprise since prisons are ‘places of vulnerability’ that provide near-perfect conditions in which radical, religiously framed ideologies can flourish.
As many studies demonstrate, prison systems have always played an important role in the development of a militant organization’s ideology, in the recruitment of new members and in the reinforcement of the narratives of every radical movement of the modern period. However, these cases are far too often considered as evidence of prison radicalization. More cautions approaches to radicalization show a less dramatic reality: since prisons are over-crowded closed environments, radicalization may be seen as a strategy of resistance to the prison system (Khosrokhavar, 2004 ) or as a way to escape from the difficulties of prison life (Spalek and El-Hassan, 2007; Clear and Sumter, 2002, Dammer, 2002 cit. by Bigo et al., 2014), rather than as an inexorable step in a process of extremism.
The project R2PRIS - Radicalization Prevention in Prisons (2015-1-PT01-KA204-013062) has been approved for funding by the ERASMUS+ funding agency. Aligned with the current problematics of radicalization of inmates in European prisons, the R2PRIS project aims to:
1. Create awareness on the broad picture of terrorism, the mind set and narratives used by understanding a) why prisons are a breeding ground for radicalization; b) the difference between conversion, radicalization and moving to extremist views (terminology); c) the pathways and levels of radicalization, role in the network; d) recruitment tactics employed within the prison environment; e) indicators on how to identify vulnerable people at risk of radicalization;
2. Develop the tools and instruments for prison administration and line-level staff to recognize signs of radicalization at an early stage within their specific facility;
3. Provide common, consistent and effective instruments to help staff report their observations to the appropriate intelligence staff;
4. Provide model procedures for intelligence staff to vet the data they receive from prison staff and to appropriately interpret it;
5. Establish a series of training programmes and tools for all staff within a prison to respond appropriately to potential vulnerable individuals at risk of radicalization.
The consortium is composed by:
A. Research & development providers:
- BSAFE LAB / UBI University - project promotor (PT)
- IPS_Innovative Prison Systems (PT)
- CRSP Romanian Centre for Penitentiary Studies (RO)
B. Penitentiary administrations:
- NAP Romanian prison system (RO)
- Belgium prison system (BE)
- Kriminalomsorgen - Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Service, NO
- Turkish prison administration (TR)
- PDGRSP, Portugal (as associated partner)
- … and other prison systems that may want to participate.
C. Dissemination partners
- ICPA International Corrections and Prisons Association EuroPris
- The European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services
The kick off meeting of the R2PRIS project will take place at the Beira Interior University on the 3rd and 4th November 2015.
An open class involving partners and the academic community is foreseen.
For further information about the R2PRIS project, please contact us.
Bringing innovation in traditional, hierarchical and complex organizations like the prison systems is not an easy process. Here innovation is often induced by the change of perception of society regarding the mission and role of the execution of sentences and rehabilitation services; by changes in regulatory frameworks; the introduction of new technologies and processes; or the integration of external services and cooperation with civil society organizations on a reciprocal relationship.
There are many challenges faced by prison systems in the “intelligent society" and that is why, we’ve invited prison systems representatives, consulting and technology-based companies, NGOs, education and training organizations and other citizens' organizations to discuss how can they can contribute to innovate in prison services.
The event, organized by IPS_Innovative Prison Systems, the BSAFE LAB and B2Citizens Association took place on January 13 at in Lisbon at the Microsoft auditorium.
Programme:
14:00 - Opening Session
- Maria João Benquerença, B2CITIzens Association and ISA group
- Pedro das Neves, Board member of the BSAFE LAB and of IPS_Innovative Prison Systems
14:40h – “Modern prison systems management: challenges and opportunities"
- Licinio Lima, Deputy director general of the General Directorate of Rehabilitation and Prison Services, Portugal
- Hans-Meurisse, President of EUROPRIS and Director General of the General Directorate of Prison Services, Belgium
- Portugal accession ceremony to EUROPRIS (Hans-Meurisse, Licinio Lima)
15:20 - Coffee break
15:40 - Round Table I: "Technology and modernization opportunities of the penitentiary systems"
Moderation: Pedro Pinto Lourenço, National Security and Public Safety, Microsoft Portugal and Nuno Garcia, visiting professor, coordinator of the UBI BSAFE LAB
Technological trends: Steven Van De Steene, ICT Director of the Belgium Penitentiary, coordinator of EUROPRIS the ICT group.
- Miguel Castelo-Branco (telemedicine and telemonitoring), President of CHCB, FCS UBI
- Maria Benquerença (energy and energy efficiency), ISA Energy
- Paulo Janeiro (mobility), Tetratab
- Miguel Sales Dias (AAL, Gamification), Microsoft Portugal
- Tiago Borges (geo-referencing, fleet management and vehicle and persons location), INOSAT Global
16:40 - Round Table II: "Training and Rehabilitation: cooperate to re-enter the twenty-first century"
Moderator: Fr. João Gonçalves, national coordinator of the prison ministry (catholic church).
- Jorge Monteiro, coordinator of the DGRSP programmes competence centre
- Ana Paula Filipe, director of the training department of IEFP (Portuguese employment services)
- Licinio Lima, deputy director general of the General Directorate of Rehabilitation and Prison Services
- Florin Lobont, Director of the Romanian Centre for Prison Studies, West University of Timisoara
17:30 - Summary of the completion of the work and closing session, Pedro das Neves
For further information about this seminar, please contact us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The project "ECOPRIS - Ecological Economics in Prison Work Administration" promoted by the BSAFE LAB of the University of Beira Interior has been approved for funding by the ERASMUS + Portuguese National Agency.
ECOPRIS has been ranked as #1 in the ERASMUS + national ranking.
With an overall budget of approximately 342.000,00 euro, the ECOPRIS Project aims to:
1. Create 1 joint curricula (work-based VET training courses) to promote inmates reintegration - through prison work initiatives - by developing staff management skills, namely: prison work and industries awareness, marketing, management, innovation, entrepreneurship, communication, ICT , ecological economics and teamwork among prison staff;
2. Train 36 prison staff, in 3 countries, in multidisciplinary teams of 6 members (2 per country), in 3 short-term transnational training events, to develop and implement innovative „prison work” actions (engaging at least 20 inmates per country);
3. Improve community and businesses participation in staff training and inmates labour reintegration actions through the engagement of key stakeholders and experts in national seminars, validation workshops, transnational events and trainings' pilot actions.
Project partners include:
- BSAFE LAB Law enforcement, justice and public safety research and technology transfer laboratory of Beira Interior University, Portugal
- IPS_Innovative Prison Services (Qualify Just, Ltd), Portugal
- DGRSP Direcção Geral da Reinserção e dos Serviços Prisionais (Portuguese probation and prison administration), Portugal
- ANP National Prison Administration of Romania, prison of Timisoara, Romania
- CPIP Centrul Pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente, Romania
- Centrul de studii penitenciare - West University of Timisoara, Romania
- Ceza ve Tevkifevleri Genel Müdürlüğü (Turkish prison administration), Turkey
- EUROPRIS The European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, The Netherlands
For further information about the ECOPRIS project or IPS activity in prison work/prison industries area, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
BSAFE LAB Concept
Founded as a result of the collaboration between QUALIFY JUST IPS_Innovative Prison Systems and UBI – Universidade da Beira Interior, the BSAFE LAB is an open interdisciplinary research and technology transfer laboratory aiming to foster and develop new research and technology transfer in the fields of law enforcement, justice and public safety in scientific areas ranging from arts & humanities, including law, history and philosophy, biological & medical sciences, physical sciences & engineering, social & behavioral sciences & education.
Its main objectives consist of fostering the advancement of scientific knowledge, the effectiveness of public and civil society agencies and the reinforcement of SME competitiveness in the fields of law enforcement, justice and public safety through:
- the development of new research projects (involving public organizations, private sector and government agencies);
- the technical supervision of master’s and PhD thesis;
- the implementation of innovation demonstration actions (technology transfer pilots and experimentation playgrounds) involving SME’s and public sector agencies;
- the establishment of partnerships with research and government institutions worldwide;
- providing technical assistance to third parties (companies and government agencies).
Research and technology transfer
BSAFE LAB coordinates fundamental and applied research projects in the fields of law enforcement, justice and public safety.
Our research teams are composed by renowned researchers belonging to different international research organizations, private sector and public agency representatives.
Organization
BSAFE LAB is a research and technology transfer laboratory within the University of Beira Interior (UBI).
While being financially accountable within the University and being fully aligned with UBI’s strategic plans, BSAFE LAB has scientific independence and functions according to its specific rules and triennial strategic plan, approved by its members.
According to its internal regulations, governance bodies consist of:
- Executive board and Strategic advisory board
- Scientific Commission
- Scientific board
BSAFE LAB research domains
- Penitentiary, prisons and probation
- prison planning, architecture and engineering
- prison management
- education and reinsertion of minors and juveniles
- risk assessment of offenders and ex-offenders
- reinsertion of inmates
- community sentences
- relation between inmates, family and community
- impact of prison in offenders family and children
- prison work/prison industries
- relation with employers
- mental illness in prisons
- health in prison
- suicide prevention
- ICT for prisons and probation (digital communication, sensors, robotics, drones, internet of things, cloud computing, learning technologies, e-health, wearable and mobile devices, gamification, non-cooperative biometric recognition…)
- Electronic monitoring
- e-health in prisons
- learning technologies for inmates and staff training
- public-private partnerships in justice
- other relevant areas.
To be extended to other areas of law enforcement, justice and public safety.
For further info about the BSAFE LAB, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
