RECOMMENDATION No. R (82) 17

OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS TO MEMBER STATES
CONCERNING CUSTODY AND TREATMENT OF DANGEROUS PRISONERS

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 24 September 1982
at the 350th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe,

Considering the fact that there are a certain number of dangerous prisoners in the prison population;

Aware of the necessity to safeguard the public security and to ensure order in prison and good functioning;

Considering that appropriate treatment should also be provided for dangerous prisoners;

Taking into consideration the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Resolution (73) 5 on the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners in general and Resolution (76) 2 on the Treatment of Long-term Prisoners in particular,

Recommends the governments of member states:

1. to apply, as far as possible, ordinary prison regulations to dangerous prisoners;

2. to apply security measures only to the extent to which they are necessarily required;

3. to apply security measures in a way respectful of human dignity and rights;

4. to ensure that security measures take into account the varying requirements of different kinds of dangerousness;

5. to counteract, to the extent feasible, the possible adverse effects of reinforced security conditions;

6. to devote all necessary attention to the health problems which might result from reinforced security;

7. to provide education, vocational training, work and leisure time occupations and other activities to the extent that security permits;

8. to have a system for regular review to ensure that time spent in reinforced security custody and level of security applied do not exceed what is required;

9. to ensure, when they exist, that reinforced security units have the appropriate number of places, staff and all necessary facilities;

10. to provide suitable training and information for all staff concerned with the custody and treatment of dangerous prisoners.