This study administered a self-assessment questionnaire to Slovenian prison officers to determine whether their professional capacity, competence, and values comply with the provisions of the international Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
Fifty-two prison officers participated in the study. The majority (35) had completed secondary school, and the rest (22) had attended a 2-year university course. The survey found that the predominant activity of the officers was to supervise prisoners and provide security. The officers also reported conversations with prisoners, assistance to prisoners in crisis, and cooperation with those who were delivering specialized services within the prison. Among the other tasks, the distribution of consignments was ranked highest, followed by the distribution of medications, and the supervision of telephone calls. The officers expressed a need for more training in the fields of martial arts, foreign languages, communication, and techniques of conflict resolution. The main daily tasks are verification of inmates' presence, assignment of jobs, supervision of prisoners and their activities, and ensuring compliance with the house rules. The officers generally held conservative moral values. 2 figures, 1 table, 2 notes, and 12 references