Training and mentoring international prison or

Training and mentoring
International prison or corrections advisors can provide structured initial induction and on-the-
job training (or mentoring). The mentoring should be in support of a continuous training
programme that is based on the initial (and any subsequent) training needs assessment. One of
the best ways of providing training is by means of mobile training teams that visit different
regions and the prisons located there. Mobile units are cost-effective, involving dispatching a
small team of trainers to different locations rather than transporting large numbers of prison
officers to a central location, where they will need to be accommodated and fed. Mobile units are
also flexible. Standard short training modules should be developed and adopted by trainers so
that they can mix classroom study of theory with its practical application (mentored by advisors)
in each prison. Training is necessary for all levels of prison staff, but priority should be given to
the training of mid- and senior-level managers, because these are the officers who will determine
the policies and procedures that will be implemented throughout a prison system and who will
lead reform efforts.
Enhancing coordination between the prisons and other justice agencies
Supporting enhanced communication, coordination, and joint problem-solving between the
prisons, the courts, the prosecution service, civil society and other stakeholders early on is
valuable. It can not only lay the groundwork and build the necessary relationships to sustain
reform in the longer term, but also provide a forum for creative problem-solving in the short
term. Local stakeholders are often best placed to devise the most effective solutions to local
problems concerning prisons.

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Assistance to vulnerable groups
Projects focusing on vulnerable groups in the criminal justice system should be prioritized in the
short term, given that their needs are great. Staff should undergo anti-discrimination training and
be made more aware of the specific rights and needs of vulnerable groups such as women,
children, prisoners with mental illnesses, older prisoners and disabled prisoners. Standards such
as the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty and the
Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice should be looked at with
regard to children in prison.
Pre-trial diversion
Slowing the rate of entry into prisons through both pre-trial diversion options (i.e.increased use
of bail and alternatives to imprisonment for convicted persons) may be useful. Although the
introduction of alternatives to prison may seem ambitious in the early days after conflict, it
deserves serious consideration. Detaining people charged with minor offences alongside people
charged with serious acts of violence is neither in the interests of the person detained nor in
compliance with international standards. Pre-trial diversion may be particularly appropriate for
children as international human rights law states tha