VILLEFRANCHE SUR SAÔNE (RECOMMENDATIONS) This recommendation is intimately linked with recommendations  1 and 2 above. 5/ Specifically to reduce the chances of projectiles being received from outside, but also to reduce throwing waste from the cells, a wellestablished practice in most institutions, the administration has quite logically speeded up the replacement of the standard window bars by a type of thick, very close-meshed, grating. Although throwing of objects (and also the inter-cellular communication of all sorts) is clearly reduced (rarely eliminated), the effect of these gratings is plunge the cells into almost permanent night-time, reinforcing the prisoners’ sense of isolation. These installations can even go as far as depriving them of any view of the sky. This aggravates an already difficult or very difficult situation in the cells, and increases the sentiment of anger and/or depression. The short-term advantage that these structures provide is undeniable. But it must not be allowed to hide the fact that they foment additional medium and long-term tensions among the prisoners who, through the additional feeling of constraint and pressure, feel invisible and even more anonymous behind the gratings. As a result, one should not be surprised if, in the long term, relations with prison staff become even more strained. Although the problems of safety and hygiene posed by projectiles and uncontrolled communication with the outside are significant, it is recommended that they be addressed differently (improved effectiveness in cleaning and in waste disposal, increasing opportunities for discussion - see recommendations  2, 3 and 6, presence in the exercise yards - see recommendation  4, protection from external projectiles at the height of the external wall). 6/ Attention must be drawn to the very difficult working conditions for prison staff. In particular the level of discouragement shown by those responsible for rehabilitation and probation (witness the high level of personnel rotation) has been noted, and this is reflected in the level of dissatisfaction that prisoners show towards these people. They are confronted with an overload of cases to handle, accompanied by considerable bureaucracy in completing the files required for enforcing sentences and for handling those leaving prison. Although these tasks are not those that motivated many of them to take up this role, the absolute need to complete them means that they neglect two major activities concerning the prisoners. Firstly, they do not have the time to listen to the prisoners’ preoccupations, 13