-22
Application of the principle in preventive monitoring
This principle explicitly urges preventive monitors to go beyond the
concretely visible situations, events and structures. Obviously, poor
material conditions of detention and other directly observable issues, such
as lack of space for meaningful activities in prison, are important subject
matters monitors will deal with. But: what leads to these conditions, what
lies below their surface and what role do cultural patterns play?
The detention monitoring tool “Institutional culture in detention: a framework
for preventive monitoring” by APT and PRI provides useful guidance in
this regard.32 This paper analyses cultural risk factors for torture and illtreatment, presents methods/ways to contribute to organizational culture
change and identifies relevant drivers and contributing factors to such
change. It also presents a well proven model for deciphering cultural issues
within places of detention.33
In order to illustrate this point: the CPT has repeatedly stated that
improvement in detention conditions requires a change of the selfunderstanding of prison staff as well as of the societal understanding of
their role “as performing a public service, not an administrative function”.34
Obviously, these are issues that are difficult to tackle and which require
thorough strategic thinking on how to bring about change.
••Questions for monitors
• How much time is dedicated to this deeper analysis of the situation
(like institutional culture in prisons)? Do these issues form an explicit
part of the preparation and carrying out of the visit?
• To which extent do reports and recommendations address these
cultural issues?
• Are cultural issues explicitly taken up in the dialogue with the
authorities and other actors?
32. APT, Penal Reform International (PRI), ‘Institutional Culture in Detention: A Framework for Preventive Monitoring’ (2nd edn, Penal Reform International 2015) <https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/culture-in-detention-2nd-ed-v6.pdf> [hereinafter: APT/PRI].
33. Ibid., 5 et seq.; distinguishing three levels of cultural analysis, based on Schein, 1.: Analysis of artefacts, 2. Analysis of espoused beliefs and values, 3. Analysis of underlying assumptions.
34. See e.g. CPT/Inf (2010) 5, para. 71.
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents