B. Methodology checklist for prison visits The following serves as a check list for staff monitoring of prisons which should be followed as closely as possible. It is designed for interviews with prisoners, but by and large also applicable when interviewing prison staff, doctors, etc. These checklists take into account certain recommendations as published by the Association for the Prevention of Torture54. The following general recommendations should be applicable to all visits: 1. Preparing the visit: Visits restricted to prisoners: regarding persons deprived of their liberty, the visits will only include interviews with prisoners, and not with those in detention in order to narrow down the target group and obtain representative figures. The detention regime is different for persons in custody and requires a different monitoring methodology. 15 prisoners to be interviewed per prison per visit on a particular thematic topic (e.g. health care available in prisons): this is necessary in order to acquire a minimum figure for analysis. Frequency of visits: as many as needed to cover the thematic issues with the minimum number of 15 prisoners. Selection of prisoners: the aim would be to have wide representation ensuring the inclusion of different vulnerable categories (juveniles, elderly, handicapped, women, ethnic minorities, foreigners, prisoners in solitary confinement, sick prisoners) as well as prisoners from the different internal categorization systems, where applicable. Announcements of visits: the visits should be announced at least one week in advance to the prison authorities - the prison director shall be informed in advance of the purpose of the visit and the need for the OSCE Mission to independently select prisoners for interviews. Composition of visiting team: as a rule, the visiting teams will consist of two persons and should ideally comprise both sexes as interviewees might prefer to talk to an interviewer of the same sex. Information: visiting teams are supposed to make themselves aware of the general situation in the relevant prison, through previous visiting, media reports and other available information and prepare themselves accordingly. Questionnaires: the forms shall be filled out in English and stored in a secured locker in the relevant field office - for each interview, a single form should be completely filled out. 2. The visit itself: Initial talk with the prison director: At the start of a visit (round of interviews on a certain theme) an initial talk should be held with the director or (at least) deputy director of the prison. During this initial talk, the following issues should be discussed: o introduce the visiting team o explain the aim and objectives of the visits o explain the absolute need to talk in private with the prisoners and, if possible, the members of staff (mainly security, medical staff and educators) 54 Different checklists can be found at: http://www.apt.ch/ 24