particular for two individual interviews 254, one with the head of the institution or one of their immediate subordinates (in practice, this interview is carried out by an officer or graded officer), the other with a member of the prison service for rehabilitation and probation (SPIP) . In particular, these interviews make it possible to explain the functioning of the institution to newly imprisoned persons, while informing them of the principal bodies to which they can apply and how to refer matters to them. Sometimes these individual interviews are complemented – in particular in remand prisons – by a collective information session for new arrivals carried out by the director. In one remand prison inspected, this meeting was held in the presence of the manager of personal accounts, a nurse, a registry clerk and a prison officer. In the course of this meeting, of about half an hour in duration, the following subjects in particular were presented: the roles of the judge and of the director; disciplinary policy; remission, temporary release, reduced sentencing etc. Several written documents were also handed over to prisoners: the booklet for new arrivals specific to the institution, which usually contains extracts from the rules and regulations, as well as the “guide for newly arriving prisoners” published by the prisons administration department (DAP). In another institution inspected by the inspectors in January 2012, an “arrival booklet” was also handed over to new arrivals containing information on the new arrivals programme, initial useful information, conditions of access to information and outside relations, provisions for access to healthcare and rights and extracts from the rules and regulations, as well as a glossary; the DAP pamphlet concerning “representatives of the Défenseur des droits” ombudsman; and an interregional department of prison services information pamphlet on violence in prison, including a Freephone number. However, in a very large number of institutions it was ascertained that the rules and regulations were not up to date. Moreover, these documents are not always at prisoners’ disposal. Indeed, the inspectors ascertained that few libraries have copies of these documents. Similarly, they are rarely found in registries or in the offices of officers, graded officers and floor warders. They are not always displayed in the common rooms of open prisons and wings. Only rules and regulations specific to the punishment wings of penal institutions are generally handed over to prisoners and displayed near the disciplinary committee room. On the other hand, these documents are displayed in detention, in general by their posting on noticeboards in spaces dedicated to the bar rolls of counsels entitled to practice in the jurisdiction and pamphlets concerning the Défenseur des droits ombudsman. Unfortunately, it was ascertained that the noticeboards were so laden that it was often difficult for prisoners, who a fortiori have to know how to read, to find this information. Certain legal works, such as the penal code and the code of criminal procedure, may also be consulted in the libraries. However, in most cases, there is only a single copy of each, whose year of publication is moreover distant from the current year. Nevertheless, in one remand prison inspected in June 2012, a computer at prisoners’ disposal enabled them to consult the code of criminal procedure and the Prisoner’s Guide published by the prisons administration. Provision of information in ordinary imprisonment is organised through a legal information and advice access point Most departmental committees for legal information and advice (CDAC / conseils départementaux d’accès au droit)255 have entered into agreements with the penal institutions and SPIP 254 Cf. article D285 of the Code of criminal procedure. 255 Act no. 91-647 of 10th July 1991 concerning legal aid, reformed by act no. 98-1163 of 18th December 1998 concerning legal information and advice and amicable settlement of disputes, provides for the establishment of a 159