It might even be said that the existence of an identifiable project is undoubtedly a major factor in distinguishing institutions that function in a satisfactory manner from those that do not; or, so to speak, that although the existence of a project of this kind may not be sufficient to ensure success, it is definitely a required condition thereof. Another decisive factor depends upon the quality of the staff in the institutions, including tutors, operational staff, teachers and “house mistresses” etc. In this respect, there are several observations to be made. As the Contrôleur général has already mentioned64, the first years of operation of the young offenders’ institutions were chequered with conflicts of all kinds among the staff, and between the latter and the associations or the administration. These conflicts have for the most part been resolved. They were settled all the more easily where choices made within institutions were discussed and shared. Exchange is a vital tool in the collective education of rebellious children. Initiatives of this kind are still required on the part of the management of certain institutions. Due to the difficulty of recruitment, the quality of tutors often remains variable65. It can however be improved over time. In this respect, there is a clear difference between institutions concerned with enabling their staff to progress, which are open – in spite of difficulties – to both analysis of their practices (by third parties from outside of the managerial structure) and to professional training, in particular through the validation of outcomes of experience at work (validation des acquis de l’expérience / VAE) 66 and other institutions, in which there is hardly any advancement open to tutors, and which show a rapid turnover of staff, with scarcely any methods of qualitative improvement. It is necessary to pay all the more attention to these aspects since many of the officials thus recruited are young men and women originating from underprivileged sections of society, from immigrant backgrounds in particular, who have made great efforts in their education while braving comments from their fellows in misfortune: personalities of exceptional quality are to be found amongst them and their commitment deserves to be rewarded in terms of career advancement. Finally, executives (in both management and education) should be careful to ensure that children are dealt with in a consistent manner, through consistency of staff action, and should therefore seek to bring officials closer together, whatever their origin and duties. Nobody can be pushed aside in such small educational communities, in which each member has their place. Once again, it is necessary to draw attention to the sensitive question of managing prohibitive rules and the related issue of discipline 67. Understanding is harmed by “theoretical” prohibition (in rules and regulations, booklets for new arrivals etc.) of practices in which inmates “inevitably” engage in practice, and which therefore undermine an educational approach to the relationship between the law and reality. Similarly, practices cannot be imposed at the price of constraints which compromise the dignity of persons (certain practices of searches on return from weekends with the family for example 68; as well as tutors systematically listening in on children’s telephone conversations with their 64 Report of the contrôle général for 2012, section 1, p. 9. In one of the institutions having been the subject of a report in 2012, five tutors out of thirteen were holders of a state diploma (diplôme d’Etat) of some kind. 66 Already mentioned in a previous annual report. 67 On this point see section 3 of this report concerning discipline and punishments in places of deprivation of liberty. 68 One of the institutions inspected has made express provisions that showers shall not be installed in the rooms, in order to make it possible for the children’s clothes to be searched when left in a collective area, while they take their showers (without the children concerned necessarily being aware of this). In another, the rules and regulations make respect for privacy conditional upon respect of the institution’s collective rules by the young person. 65 36