1. PRISON MANAGEMENT 1.4. ACCESS TO INFORMATION RELEVANT RULES: ACCESS TO INFORMATION Rule 54: Upon admission, every prisoner shall be promptly provided with written information about: (a) The prison law and applicable prison regulations; (b) His or her rights, including authorized methods of (c) His or her obligations, including applicable disciplinary sanctions; and (d) All other matters necessary to enable the prisoner to adapt himself or herself to the life of the prison. available in the most commonly used languages in accordance with the needs of the prison population. If a prisoner does not understand any of those languages, interpretation assistance should be provided. 2. If a prisoner is illiterate, the information shall be 1 seeking information, access to legal advice, including through legal aid schemes, and procedures for making requests or complaints; Rule 55: 1. The information referred to in rule 54 shall be conveyed to him or her orally. Prisoners with sensory disabilities should be provided with information in a manner appropriate to their needs. 3. The prison administration shall prominently display summaries of the information in common areas of the prison. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? 116 As soon as possible after admission, all prisoners should be provided with information about the prison rules, regulations, procedures and other relevant information, including the process for making a complaint. Prisoners should be made aware of their rights and obligations from the outset, and they should also know what to expect from staff and management. 117 Prisoners are less likely to break prison rules and regulations if they are aware of the consequences of doing so and if they know their rights and how to exercise them. Providing information to prisoners at an early stage reminds them that they still have rights and reduces feelings of powerlessness, can lessen stress levels and reduce risk of suicide and self‑harm among prisoners. 118 Prisoners need access to information in order to exercise their rights if they are treated unfairly. The knowledge that they can challenge unfair treatment can, in itself, lead to a more peaceable prison environment and aid the smooth running of the facility. PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE What information needs to be communicated? 119 Rule 54 details the information that every prisoner should receive upon being detained. The Rules are clear that relevant information must be provided to all newly arrived prisoners regardless of their legal status. Pre-trial prisoners must, therefore, receive the same level of information as convicted prisoners. 120 Rule 54 also states that prisoners must be briefed on the “prison law” and the “applicable prison regulations”. This includes all regulations that in any way relate to the rights and duties of prisoners, including, for example, regulations on the use of force and restraint by prison staff. 121 The provision in Rule 54(d), that all prisoners should be briefed on matters to enable them to adapt themselves to life in prison, should be interpreted broadly to include, for example, educational and vocational training opportunities, access to medical services, visiting rights, information about religious services, meal times and other schedules and the use of library facilities and recreational spaces. Guidance document on the Nelson Mandela Rules 29