Sources outside official circles viewed the staying of children with their mothers throughout their sentences in prison as a serious problem. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the immediate family are reluctant to take on the children of a convict, even is closely related to them. Some were if the view that the training of prison officers was too security oriented, and that the training should concentrate on rehabilitation. The Prison Administration Manual has to be revised for more humane provisions. Illustration of a regulation that ought to be amended for the better is the 20 minutes per month visit a prisoner is entitled to, or the one page letter per month which is the limit for a prisoner. Attempts should also be made to replicate the workshop at Harare at other prisons. To encourage society to accept convicts who are released, and to illustrate the rehabilitation of prisoners can be achieved, the Prison Administration should begin to employ ex - convicts who have acquired skills in prison. CONCLUSION For me to able to visit the prisons in Zimbabwe that I did at a very short notice and for the author(s) of PRISONS TALKS etc. to have access to all the prisons on Zimbabwe speak volumes of the openness of the Prison regime in Zimbabwe. The novel institution of community service which by the end of 1996 had seen 12,000 convicts going through the scheme will no doubt have an impact on overcrowding in prisons. That others beyond Africa, in Asia and the Americas will look to Zimbabwe for reform of their penal system is reason for satisfaction and justifiable pride. Equally co-operation between governmental organisations towards a more humane prison regime is worthy of commendation. For this very reason, criticisms from the later must be taken seriously. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The majority of the inmates (about 97% or so) were decently attired. A minority who nevertheless should not be dismissed were found in torn prison garments. That attempts were not made to spirit them out of sight is evidence that there was no stage management. 2. The observations and criticisms contained in the Prisons Talks should receive sober reflection, and wherever necessary remedial measures should be adopted. 3. The importance of reducing the period for which prisoners are remanded should be constantly raised by the Prison Service with the Police and Prosecution authorities with a view to the latter acting to achieve this goal. 4. The decision to revise the standing orders of the Commissioner of Prisons should be carried out as has been done in the case of Prison Act, Chapter 7:11 (revised edition 1996). 5. Human Rights Training of Prison officers which was organised in May 1996 and evaluated after six months should be continued as planned. 6. Supervision of the community Service Scheme should not be relaxed for the danger of an increase in criminality is real if it is perceived by the public as a very soft option to fine or custodial sentence. 7. The prison service should help orient public attitude to accepting that rehabilitation does