What contributes to the prevention of violence the most are not heavy security measures but a dynamic concept of security and quality of life in prison EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Violence in prison may not only amount of a more coercive prison environment to a serious violation of human rights, with higher security levels, for example, including torture, but is often part of a by upgrading the equipment of prison much broader and systemic problem in officers (e.g. pepper spray or other penal institutions. In the majority of weapons, and protective gear, body cases, the occurrence of violence can cams) or by building new prisons. in fact be linked to structural factors, such as deplorable living conditions, One of the principle finding of this understaffing and lengthy lock-up times Project, however, is that prison violence in cells. These factors, as well as the is an extremely complex phenomenon prevailing cultural norms and attitudes and thus policies and strategies designed of persons working and living in prison, to effectively prevent it must look beyond are of extreme importance to prevent the direct causes of each incident of violence. violence and adopt a holistic approach that also considers other, less visible factors Yet many States and prison admi- enabling violence. For these reasons, this nistrations limit themselves to treating Handbook works with a broad definition only the of violence, including not only direct structural causes of prison violence, but also structural and cultural violence. thereby failing to provide a long-term National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) solution to the problem. Indeed, violence can play an important role in this regard. is often countered only with the creation They are in an ideal position to observe the symptoms and not