IMPLICATIONS Men and women who break the law, or who are accused of having done so, are likely to be frightened and to feel personally threatened by being in prison alongside other people who are accused of having broken the law. There must be a balance between positive encouragement and discipline. The vast majority of prisoners will respond positively to being treated in a decent and humane manner. Prisons are living places. It is possible to have an environment which is relaxed while at the same time ensuring that security and good order are not sacrificed. The experienced prison officer is aware that coercive control is not sufficient to ensure good order. Prison authorities should not place any prisoner in a position which allows him or her to impose discipline on other prisoners. PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS ■ If prisoners are kept occupied and are given the opportunity to use their time positively they will respond to the reasonable and justifiable rules and regulations which are necessary in any large group of people in order to ensure that good order is maintained. ■ A sensitive balance has to be struck between encouraging prisoners to take responsibility for their own actions individually and as a group, and ensuring that individual prisoners are not placed in positions of authority over others. Prisoners should not be used to make up for a shortage of staff. ■ The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment advises that the best guarantee against the ill-treatment of prisoners is the presence of a properly trained and thoroughly professional staff whose interpersonal skills are such that they are able to carry out their duties successfully without having recourse to ill-treatment. ■ Staff should be trained in control and restraint techniques. The European Committee advises that these techniques enhance staff confidence, enable them to choose the most appropriate response when confronted by difficult situations and have an important part to play in minimizing the risk of injury to prisoners. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION The choice for good prison management is not between excessive strictness and excessive liberality. What is needed is consistency in the application of rules and regulations. The certainty of this consistency is important for both staff and prisoners. Discuss the best way for staff to be consistent in their management of prisoners. The majority of prisoners will respond to clear directions from staff. If staff are not in charge of the prison a vacuum will be created. That vacuum will be filled by the strongest prisoners. That would be a bad development for the majority of prisoners. Consider how staff can create an environment in which the majority of prisoners will not be intimidated by a minority who want to dominate. 89