The treatment of long-term and ‘dangerous’ offenders is becoming an increasingly important issue in many Council of Europe member states, and thus for the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC), with concerns on a number of different levels.

Upon the request of the CDPC, a report was drafted by Professor Nicola Padfield entitled “The sentencing, management and treatment of ‘dangerous’ offenders”. On the basis of this report, the decision was taken to set up a restricted drafting group of experts on dangerous offenders.

The terms of reference of the Ad hoc Drafting Group on Dangerous Offenders (PC-GR-DD) were adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 21 November 2012 and the PC-GR-DD began its work the same December. The terms of reference of the Ad hoc Drafting Group on Dangerous Offenders (PC-GR-DD) ended on 31 December 2013. Following its Terms of Reference, the PC-GR-DD drafted the draft recommendation on Dangerous offenders (and its commentary), which was approved by the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) during its Plenary Meeting in December 2013 and adopted by the Committee of Ministers in February 2014.