§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken or is considering to avoid concerted acts of indiscipline in prison by improving communications with prisoners and staff.
§ Mr. BrittanMany concerted acts of indiscipline by prisoners have nothing to do with failures of communication with them. The importance of good communications in maintaining reasonable and orderly regimes has, 105W however, long been recognised. Staff training provides a foundation of knowledge and skills which enable officers, as they gain experience, increasingly to adopt a constructive approach in their relationships with prisoners. This approach helps officers to tolerate disagreeable behaviour and to reason with agitated prisoners; it is a measure of their professionalism that they are generally able to do so.