- 45 5. Other issues related to the CPT’s mandate a. prison staff 102. The cornerstone of a humane prison system will always be its staff. In addition to being properly recruited and trained (cf. paragraph 60), prison staff must also be present in sufficient numbers. 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 (cf. CPT/Inf 1994 (20), paragraph 96 and CPT/Inf 2001 (18), part I, paragraph 170). In this connection, the Greek authorities have made clear that they are striving to improve staff training and to increase staffing levels. In particular, shortly before the visit, 350 new recruits had been selected and were soon to be in post, and it was envisaged to recruit additional prison officers in the near future. The CPT welcomes these efforts. However, the information gathered during the visit shows that both initial and in-service training of prison officers could usefully be developed further (at present, training is limited to a short induction course and there appeared to be no in-service training). Further, the number of staff working directly with prisoners, in particular at Alicarnassos Prison and Korydallos Prison for Men, was low. 103. As regards Malandrino Prison, the delegation was told that, given its isolated location, it was difficult to attract staff from amongst the ranks of experienced officers, and that it was envisaged that the vast majority of permanent staff would be made up of new recruits currently undergoing training. The CPT considers that an establishment like Malandrino requires a blend of experienced and new staff in order to ensure safety and security. The Committee would like to receive the comments of the Greek authorities on this point. 104. The CPT recommends that steps be taken to improve current staffing levels in the prisons visited and, more particularly, at Alicarnassos and Korydallos, including by offering conditions which are conducive to attracting and retaining qualified staff. b. contact with the outside world 105. The CPT has already stressed the importance of prisoners being able to maintain good contact with the outside world (cf. CPT/Inf (94) 20, paragraph 126 and CPT/Inf (2001) 18, part I, paragraph 172).20 The situation in practice remains satisfactory as regards access to the telephone and to correspondence. The same cannot be said in respect of visits. 20 Cf. also Articles 51 to 58 of Law 2776, of 22 December 1999.