- 70 5. Other issues a. prison staff 132. At the time of the delegation’s visit, there was a serious shortage of prison staff in all establishments visited. The CPT has already emphasised in previous reports74 that an inadequate number of custodial staff renders prisons insecure for both prisoners and staff; in particular, it impedes any efforts to maintain effective control, which often leads to stronger groups of prisoners being able to exercise their powers unchecked over other inmates. The delegation observed in the prisons visited how the inmate population was separated along ethnic/cultural lines and that within each of these specific groups there was a defined hierarchical structure, which all inmates adhering to that group were obliged to follow. It was also evident that prison staff in many instances relied upon the leaders of these groups to maintain order in an establishment. Furthermore, low staffing levels make it nearly impossible to provide an acceptable regime for prisoners. The situation remained particularly acute at Korydallos Men’s Prison, where a wing of some 400 inmates was usually staffed by only one or two prison officers during the day. At night there were a mere eight officers on duty, who were in charge of the entire prison with a population of more than 2,300 inmates. The staffing situation was not much better at other prisons visited. For example, at the Avlona Special Detention Facility for Juveniles, which was holding 360 inmates, there were eight prison officers and two shift supervisors during the day, and five prison officers and one shift supervisor at night. At Ioannina Prison, which was holding 232 inmates, the day shifts consisted of nine prison officers, and the night shifts of three. 24 custodial staff positions had been cut, leaving an overall complement of 41 prison officers for the establishment. Larissa Prison was holding 892 inmates and during the day had two prison officers for each of the three larger wings, and one in each of the two smaller wings; there was one prison officer in every wing at night. The CPT recommends that staffing levels in all prisons visited be urgently reviewed and, as necessary, increased to ensure effective control and a safe environment for prisoners and staff. 133. Prison staff in the various establishments visited complained to the delegation about the high number of leave days owed to them, and overtime and extra shifts not paid. Such a state of affairs not only increases considerably the likelihood of burnout, but also undermines motivation. Having said that, the delegation noted a positive attitude among many prison staff, who attempt to carry out their duties professionally, in spite of the very difficult working conditions. Further, the CPT considers that mixed-sex 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. However, the Committee noted the absence of any mixed-sex staffing in all the prisons visited, with the exception of Korydallos Female Remand Prison. 74 See, for example, CPT/Inf (2010) 33, paragraph 118.