- 54 5. Other issues related to the CPT’s mandate a. prison staff 123. The CPT has stressed in the past that an inadequate staff/prisoner ratio not only renders the provision of an acceptable regime well-nigh impossible, but also generates an insecure environment for both staff and prisoners. In addition to creating a potentially dangerous situation for vulnerable prisoners, it also poses dangers for staff, whose position can be compromised by their inability to exert proper control over - and develop a constructive dialogue with - prisoners. The delegation’s findings from the 2005 visit point to a deteriorating situation as regards staffing, and it can only forcefully echo the above comments. In all the prisons visited there were insufficient numbers of staff in detention areas; for example, in Korydallos Men’s Prison two prison officers and a supervisor for a Wing of 400 prisoners; in Korydallos Women’s Prison one to two prison officers and a supervisor (not always present) for a Wing of some 200 prisoners; in Chios Judicial Prison two prison officers and a supervisor for some 160 prisoners. Consequently, it was impossible for staff to provide proper supervision or control, let alone appropriate care, for all prisoners at all times. Indeed, discussions with staff revealed that they had little idea about what was happening on the cell-blocks, and that if there was trouble they would not be able to intervene in a rapid and effective manner. Therefore, disputes were usually resolved by the prisoners themselves, in their own way. Further, inmates perceived the prison officers as being merely competent to lock and unlock doors which, given the lack of personnel, certainly did take up a large proportion of their time. Thus, many minor complaints and problems which could have been resolved on the cell blocks were being referred to more senior management or specialist staff; consequently, the response time was greater which, in turn, generated further frustration on the cell blocks. 124. Staff possessing the requisite skills will always represent the cornerstone of a humane prison system. To obtain personnel of the right calibre the authorities must be prepared to invest adequate resources into the process of recruitment and training. The real professionalism of prison staff requires that they should be able to deal with prisoners in a decent and humane manner while paying attention to matters of security and good order. In this regard, prison management should encourage staff to have a reasonable sense of trust and expectation that prisoners are willing to behave themselves properly. The development of constructive and positive relations between prison staff and prisoners will not only reduce the risk of ill-treatment but also enhance control and security. In turn, it will render the work of prison staff far more rewarding. The delegation was informed that a recruitment procedure for some one hundred prison staff had been initiated in early 2004, but the process had still not been completed by September 2005. This is clearly a step in the right direction but will not be sufficient to bring staffing resources to an adequate level throughout the prison system. The CPT recommends that a review of the current staffing levels be carried out in all the prisons and, in the light of the review, provision be made to recruit additional staff. Further, the CPT would like to receive information on whether the process of selecting and training a hundred new prison officers has now been completed and, if so, to which prisons they have been allocated.