- 43 Even at Alikarnassos Prison, where staffing ratios were slightly better, overcrowding less chronic and many prisoners engaged in some type of work, inter-prisoner violence was also apparent. Relations between prison officers and inmates were generally positive yet experienced officers stated clearly to the delegation that, with only 11 to 13 officers on duty during the day for up to 300 prisoners, they were effectively powerless to monitor and prevent incidents of interprisoner violence and intimidation. For example, on 13 October 2014 a fight between Greek nationals and prisoners from Bangladesh and Pakistan resulted in at least seven persons requiring medical treatment. Subsequently, 17 prisoners were separated from the general population and transferred to other establishments but the underlying causes of the violence were once again not addressed. 69. Inter-prisoner violence, to a large extent, continues to be fuelled by a number of factors, notably the existence of stronger groups of prisoners, poor material conditions, a lack of activities, chronic understaffing and a high prevalence of illicit drug use. The Committee must reiterate that the duty of care which is owed by the State to those in their charge includes the responsibility to protect them from other inmates who wish to cause them harm. In the current situation in the prisons visited, the Greek authorities are unable to fulfil their minimum obligation to keep both prisoners and staff safe. Addressing the phenomenon of inter-prisoner violence requires that prison staff must be alert to signs of trouble and both resolved and properly trained to intervene. The existence of positive relations between staff and prisoners, based on the notions of dynamic security and care, is a decisive factor in this context; this will depend in large measure on staff possessing appropriate interpersonal communication skills. It is also obvious that an effective strategy to tackle interprisoner violence and intimidation should seek to ensure that prison staff are placed in a position to exercise their authority in an appropriate manner. In addition, the prison system as a whole needs to develop the capacity to ensure that potentially incompatible categories of prisoners are not accommodated together. The CPT urges the Greek authorities to provide the necessary resources and guidance to prison managers to ensure a more proactive approach to safety and security of all prisoners. In addition to increasing the staffing levels, the existing skills and expertise of prison staff should be expanded by providing further specialised training. The CPT reiterates its recommendation from previous reports that the Greek authorities devise an effective national strategy concerning the prevention of inter-prisoner violence and intimidation, in the light of the above comments. This will without doubt require additional prison officers.