The European Prison Rules, developed by the Council of
Europe, set out standards on the management of prisons
and the treatment of people in prison. They apply in all
47 Council of Europe countries and provide critical guidance
to prison staff on how to protect and safeguard the human
rights of people in prison.
The Rules have been developed with the involvement of
practitioners, experts and government officials from across
Europe. They provide detailed guidance on best practice in
all areas of prison management, from admissions to release.
They assemble key prison standards developed by the Council
of Europe and its bodies, collated in one comprehensive rule
book for national prison authorities to follow.
By informing prison rules and practice at a national level,
the European Prison Rules in turn guide how prison staff
should go about their work on a day-to-day basis. This guide outlines key requirements of the European Prison Rules on a range of issues from record keeping and protection of health to safety, security and discipline. Rules amended in the 2020 revision are marked with *. Aimed at people who work in or monitor prisons, the guide provides an overall framework which can be followed to ensure that daily prison processes and activities by prison staff and other professionals working in prisons are conducted in compliance with the Rules. More detailed guidance can be found in the text of the European Prison Rules themselves and their comprehensive Commentary.
Background
What are the European Prison Rules?
The 2020 Revision
How to use this guide
What are the rules?
Basic principles
Admission and record keeping
Prison conditions
Health
Safety, security and discipline
Groups with specific needs
Training and prison management
Inspection and monitoring
Further resources
Penal Reform International (PRI)
PRI & CoE (2021). Short guide to the European Prison Rules. Penal Reform International and The Council of Europe. PRI-CoE_Short-guide-to-the-European-Prison-Rules.pdf (penalreform.org)
