administration with regard to activities proposed for them 77”. The prisons administration department has selected about ten experimental sites for the implementation of collective freedom of expression for prisoners, a principle incorporated in the European Prison Rules (EPR) 78. Prior to this, prisoners had already had opportunities for expression in certain institutions by means of internal newspapers or within the framework of activities organised by associations for leisure activities. In general, “prison newspapers” are created and, in most cases, continue for as long as the persons behind them – in some cases a local teaching manager with a passion for the project, in others an enthusiastic official librarian – retain their impetus and energy, while trying to renew the topics addressed and the persons involved, in order to avoid the routine inherent to operation in an environment cut off from the outside world. Certain institutions, often the oldest institutions catering for convicted prisoners, involve prisoners in the organisation of associations for leisure activities, for membership of which they pay a subscription. However, it can only be noted that, while these associations have been falling apart for several years (a fact connected with the loss of the income derived from the rental of television sets), it is becoming increasingly rare for prisoners to be represented in their management committees or invited to general assemblies. The reports of these meetings are sometimes not even distributed in prison. Various different committees, involving the prisons administration, its partners and prisoners, have emerged in recent years, addressing a number of different topics: the scheduling of activities (in the fields of leisure, sports, education and professional training, as well as the scheduling of cultural events) as well as choice of menus, lists of products sold in prison shops and the organisation of visits etc. Conversely, certain subjects may be excluded, with regard to employment in prison in particular, when private service providers are involved, as well as questions concerning prison security and individual situations. Certain institutions catering for prisoners serving long sentences have put participatory meetings in place with regard to daily life, thus establishing the collective expression of prisoners as a management method based upon institutional dialogue with the representatives of the administration. Within the framework of their visits, the inspectors thus had the opportunity to attend certain meetings of this type, which showed a high quality of listening and great mutual respect. In the case of issues that do not exclusively concern prisoners or which have an impact in terms of the organisation of work for staff (e.g., proposals for the improvement of visits in visiting rooms), internal collective expression may also be accompanied with the consultation of partners, other actors (families in particular) and prison staff. The mode of appointment of the prisoners taking part in these committees is an essential issue with regard to proper operation thereof, requiring both credibility in the eyes of the prison population and acceptance on the part of prison staff. Apart from the fact that the persons appointed have to be willing to take part, the methods of appointment differ between institutions: on the one hand, they are sometimes selected by the management, which changes the persons appointed at regular intervals; on the other, a “college” of representatives, with a limited term of office, may be elected, requiring regular attendance at meetings, as well as consultation of and provision of information to the prison population as a whole; elsewhere, after addressing a call for candidatures to the prison population, the administration finally appointed the prisoners 77 Article 29 of Act no. 2009-1436. “Subject to the needs of good order, safety and security, prisoners shall be allowed to discuss matters relating to their general conditions of imprisonment and shall be encouraged to communicate with the prison authorities about these matters” (rule. no. 50). 78 101