Managing Difficult Inmates Training Manual (SIG3, 2021)

Three Special Interest Groups (SIGs) developed training manuals based on European and international minimum standards. The topics of these training manuals are Leadership & Management, Dynamic Security and Managing Difficult Inmates. Within each topic, best practices, a training handbook and a recommendation of the minimum standards have been developed. All reports are available in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

A printable version and guidelines to print the training manuals is available here.

Managing Difficult Inmates Training Handbook This handbook is developed for training prison staff who manage difficult (violent) prisoners. The expert group compared and assessed the standards and practices of each SIG member country, and based on these and international and European literature and best practices, the experts agreed on a set of minimum standards for the efficient management of these prisoners. This will provide a framework for continuous improvement and research to increase the quality of service for the management of this prisoner cohort, and increase staff confidence, competence and professional development. It is also an essential prerequisite for the development of staff training programmes. To view the handbook, please choose the language below. English, French, Spanish, Italian, German

Best Practices in Training in Managing Difficult Inmates A disparity exists between the different countries in terms of their knowledge, approaches and opinions regarding the management of difficult inmates in prison settings and the proper training for those who work with this target group. Therefore, a need for clearer direction and guidelines in this regard was identified. This document is intended to outline national best practices employed by various European jurisdictions in training staff involved in managing difficult inmates in specialised units. To view best practices in dynamic security training, please choose the language below. English, French, Spanish, Italian, German

Minimum Standards for Training in Managing Difficult Inmates In this context, the phrase ‘minimum standards’ refers to the lowest levels of the recruitment procedure and training that prison officers who work with difficult inmates should complete in order to effectively carry out their duties. This document outlines a number of issues that should be considered in developing training for such staff. These issues should inform the training provided. It also provides prison service training institutes with an opportunity to compare their current practice with what has been agreed by an international panel of experts as the minimum standards. By adopting these standards an institute can improve the professional practice, broaden the range of skills and professional behaviours acquired by staff, and increase the confidence in and safety of the work they complete. To view the document, please choose the language below. English, French, Spanish, Italian, German

*Publication and compilation of these document were made possible with the financial support of the European Union’s Justice Programme (2014- 2020), as part of the project ‘Tackling Gaps in Cross-Border Cooperation for Penitentiary Training Academies’, which was coordinated by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC).