C HAPTER 10. H EALTHY CONDITIONS IN CUSTODY OBJECTIVE All prisoners are entitled to be held in conditions which are decent and humane. The objective of this chapter is to underline that one test of whether prison conditions are decent and humane is that they meet proper health requirements. ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLE The medical officer has an important responsibility to ensure that proper health standards are met. He or she can do this by regularly inspecting and advising the director of the prison upon the suitability of food, water, hygiene, cleanliness, sanitation, heating, lighting, ventilation, clothing, bedding and opportunities for exercise. This principle should be presented visually and remain on display throughout the session. BASIS IN INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS Exercise: Using the Compilation of Instruments, the trainees should work in pairs in order to discover the basis for this principle, completing the exercise with a reporting back session. IMPLICATIONS When presenting this section, it may become apparent that the basic medical knowledge of the trainees falls short of that which is both desirable and necessary to fulfil the requirements of the instruments. With this in mind, it is advisable to have medically competent members on the training team. PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS There are likely to be different conditions and practices in different jurisdictions and communities. While it is important to allow trainees to express any difficulties they might encounter in their own work, the discussion provoked by the presentation of these practical measures must be concentrated on how they might be implemented and who or what might be available to assist in this. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION A list of topics is provided in the Manual. Methodology: The trainees should be divided into small groups and be given the two topics to discuss. It will be important to have a reporting back session because health matters may need to be clarified by a specialist member of the training team. 67