In extreme circumstances a prisoner who is accused of an offence may refuse to attend
the disciplinary hearing. The director of the prison, who is to hear the case, wishes to
allow the prisoner to present his defence. The prisoner refuses to appear. What should
the director do?
CASE STUDY
Taking account of the international instruments, prepare and present a role-play in
which a prisoner has been accused of a breach of discipline and the disciplinary procedures are invoked. The various roles are those of the adjudicating officer, the prisoner,
the charging officer and whichever witnesses are to be called. A possible scenario might
be one in which a prisoner is accused of trying to smuggle drugs into the prison in the
course of a visit. The officer says that he clearly saw the prisoner take drugs from his
visitor and put them in his mouth. There is no evidence of drugs. The prisoner asks to
call his visitor as a witness. Because of the seriousness of the charge, the prisoner asks
for legal representation. The director of the prison is concerned about the incidence of
drug abuse in the prison. The director wishes to support staff in this difficult situation
but also has to take account of natural justice.
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