- 29 52. The CPT calls upon the Greek authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure that the number of custodial officers working at Korydallos Men’s Prison and Nigrita Prison as well as at the other large model-type prisons are significantly increased. Further, the CPT reiterates its recommendation that the Greek authorities review the staffing levels in all Greek prisons to identify the numbers required to guarantee an effective control and a safe environment for prisoners and staff alike. To this end, the Committee wishes to be informed of the staffing complement of custodial officers that the Greek authorities deem to be necessary to ensure the proper management and operation of each prison accompanied by the number of custodial officers currently in place at each prison. The Committee would also like to receive information on the initial training course that the newly recruited custodial officers are required to undergo before being deployed to work in a prison and on the prisons to which the new staff were deployed. Moreover, the CPT reiterates its recommendation that the Greek authorities take steps to improve the working conditions of prison staff in Greece, notably by phasing out the widespread recourse to double shifts and unpaid overtime. 53. The CPT’s delegation was impressed that many of the staff it met remained dedicated to their jobs despite their poor working conditions and the lack of support from the state authorities. Staff need to be provided with support, including through training courses and recognition of the challenging duties they have to perform, all of which are currently absent. The Ministry of Citizens Protection must invest not only in increasing the number of prison officers in the establishments but also in their training and professional development. Staff should be offered a minimum number of days of in-service training every year, both as a means to refresh their skills and to develop team building. With over half of the prison population made up of foreign nationals, such training must include promoting learning in the areas of diversity and inter-personal skills. Professional training should also be provided for senior prison managers and possibilities for career development should be promoted. Staff should also be paid salary which is commensurate with their functions. Further, the CPT considers that the staffing within prisons should mirror society and, to this end, mixed-gender staffing can have a positive impact. The presence of male and female staff in all prisons can have a beneficial effect in terms of both the custodial ethos and in fostering a degree of normality in a place of detention. In addition, greater efforts should be made to recruit staff members from some of the larger minority groups that make up the prison population such as Albanian, Arabic, Pashtu and Urdu speakers. 54. The CPT reiterates its recommendation that the Greek authorities develop a comprehensive plan for staff training, including on intercultural communication, in order to strengthen the motivation and performance of prison officers. As part of the plan, the CPT would like to be informed about the in-service training envisaged for all prison officers, and the prospects of promoting mixed-gender staffing within prisons and of recruiting staff with diverse language skills. Professional training for senior prison managers should be provided with a view to introducing a professional management career path within the Greek prison system. Increased resources should also be put towards supporting staff, notably by means such as mentoring and the provision of individual psychological counselling when required.