1. PRISON MANAGEMENT PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE The management of prison staff Responsibility for recruiting and retaining suitable prison staff lies with prison management. Once recruited, staff need effective leadership, proper support and supervision to perform their functions effectively. Rule 79 specifies that a prison director “should be adequately qualified for his or her task by character, administrative ability, suitable training and experience.” 194 Prison administrations should treat their staff with respect and remind them that the work they do is highly valued. In order to meet the requirements of Rule 74(2), which is to ensure that prison work is of great social importance, prison managers should work closely with policy-makers and relevant ministry staff to develop strategies on how best to educate the public and the media about the role of prison staff. 195 As UNODC points out, “[t]he best way to retain an employee is through enrichment and empowerment. If an employee is challenged and satisfied within their role, there is a greater likelihood they will apply themselves and work towards the organizational goals. It is recommended to offer competitive wages, autonomy, sufficient training and development, and advancement opportunities.”73 196 Rule 30 of the Bangkok Rules specifies that there should also be a “clear and sustained commitment at the managerial level in prison administrations to prevent and address gender-based discrimination against women staff”. Rule 32 of the Bangkok Rules highlights the need to develop and implement “[c]lear policies and regulations on the conduct of prison staff aimed at providing maximum protection for women prisoners from any gender-based physical or verbal violence, abuse and sexual harassment”. Rule 29 of the Bangkok Rules also states that “Capacity-building measures for women staff shall also include access to senior positions with key responsibility for the development of policies and strategies relating to the treatment and care of women prisoners.” 197 In situations where prison staff are employed by private companies, they must be subject to the same standards of recruitment and training as regular prison staff and must be regulated by equally stringent codes of conduct and other procedures. 1 193 Staff recruitment 198 As with any professional recruitment process, there should be a clear job description for the position being recruited for, including specific duties associated with the role and required education and competencies. The skills required to perform the job should be properly communicated to potential applicants. Management “shall place great emphasis on the need for integrity, humanity, professional capacity and personal suitability for the complex work that they will be requiring to do”.74 199 UNODC suggests that personnel hiring should be conducted through “a gradual system of application, interview and testing to ensure the best individual receives the position. Within the prison system it would be recommended to implement testing for situational judgement and personal ethics.”75 200 Selection should take into account factors such as motivation and interpersonal skills, and the ability to stay calm.76 201 Staff selection should be conducted according to the principle of non-discrimination. Recruitment procedures must be fair and transparent. Staff must be hired based on their suitability for the position, regardless of their race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or any other status. 73. Handbook for prison leaders: A basic training tool and curriculum for prison managers based on international standards and norms, United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 2010, p. 56. 74. Recommendation Rec(2006)2 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the European Prison Rules, Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, 11 January 2006, Rule 76. 75. Ibid, p. 55. 76. Jim Murdoch and Vaclav Jiricka, op. cit., note 31, p. 75. Guidance document on the Nelson Mandela Rules 43