and exploitation continued to prevail, which were a direct result of the existence of informal power structures among inmates. 53. In conclusion, the CPT expresses its concern that, as a remnant from the Soviet past, the phenomenon of an informal prisoner hierarchy in the Moldovan prison system has flourished into a profit-oriented criminal enterprise. Moreover, it is not evident that the relevant authorities fully appreciate the extent of the problem, nor do they seem to be aware of the grave consequences which informal prisoner hierarchies may have on the entire prison system, and indeed on society as a whole. The Committee is convinced that until such time as this phenomenon has been effectively tackled, for a large proportion of inmates imprisonment will only serve to ensure that, upon release, they are even less capable of coping in the outside law-abiding community and, if returned to prison, even more dependent on the prison subculture. In the CPT’s view, it is high time that the Moldovan authorities took determined action throughout the prison system to guarantee the security and safety of prisoners. In particular, this will require putting an end to the reliance on the informal prisoner hierarchy to maintain good order in prisons, putting in place a system of appropriate distribution and classification of prisoners, setting up an effective recruitment and training system for prison staff and ensuring continuous staff supervision in detention areas. 54. As regards conditions of detention, whilst acknowledging the authorities’ efforts to improve inmates’ living conditions at Chișinău and Soroca Prisons, the CPT notes that a considerable number of prisoners in these establishments continued to be held under conditions which could easily be considered as inhuman and degrading. On a positive note, material conditions at Goian Prison for Juveniles remained generally satisfactory, and the Committee was pleased to note that the construction of a new remand facility for juveniles at Goian was well advanced. Report published in December 2018 (CPT/Inf(2018)49) Report on the ad hoc visit to Serbia in May/June 2017 and response of the Serbian authorities (police ill-treatment and treatment of remand prisoners) 55. The report highlights that a significant number of allegations of physical illtreatment of detained persons by police officers were received by the CPT’s delegation, in particular in larger urban areas of the country (i.e. Belgrade, Niš and Novi Sad). The physical ill-treatment alleged consisted of slaps, punches, kicks, truncheon blows and strikes with non-standard objects (such as baseball bats). Several claims of criminal suspects being subjected to shocks from electrical discharge devices were also received. The alleged ill-treatment was inflicted at the time of apprehension or during questioning at a police station. The report states that the Serbian authorities must recognise that police ill-treatment is not the result of a few rogue officers but rather an accepted practice within the current police culture, notably among crime inspectors. A fundamentally different Publication highlights ► Page 25