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Welcome to the EuroPris Knowledge Management System. The table below shows questions and responses from European National Agencies. Select a question for more information or use the filters on the left to narrow down questions based on Agency or Category.
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Introduction: The Belgian prison service explores ways to make contacts possible between male and female prisoners who are in the same prison, in order to contribute to the normalisation of prison life and to promote psychological health. Research shows that these contacts help to better fulfill prisoners interpersonal needs.
Yes.
If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?There are different ways of being together. Mainly, men and women are together in organised activities. Also, in some therapeutical wings of a prison, men and women are together sharing common spaces. Finally, it is also possible that men and women are together in the same wing without an specific therapeutical programme, as a way of improving ordinary social relations.
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information?An example of a therapeutical wing for men and women is the Prison of Madrid V. An example of wings for men and women without specific need of therapeutical intervention is in the Prison of Teixeiro and the Prison of Huelva.
Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?We have an internal regulation dealing with gender changes.
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?The internal regulation is based on the study of each case from an individualised point of view. The main principle is to follow the situation of each inmate, according to their rights and their fullfilment.
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In regard to your question about detention of mixed population, we inform you that in the National Administration of Penitentiaries of the Republic of Moldova there is no such practice. Male, female, x may arbitrary interact only in temporary investigation isolator before they have their final sentence pronounced.
If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?-
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information?-
Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?-
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?-
In the Slovak Republic, the imprisoned men and imprisoned women may be detained in the same prison facility, if appropriate also in the same wing or corridor, however without the possibility of mutual contact. Therefore, they are always accommodated, they work and perform joint activities separately.
If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?See the answer to question no. 1.
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information?See the answer to question no. 1.
Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?No, as the transgenders are not the official gender in the Slovak Republic.
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?See the answer to question no. 4.
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According to the Enforcement of the Prison Sentence Act, Article 13, men and women serve their sentences separately. The measure of investigative prison, prison sentences up to six months imposed in criminal proceedings, prison sentences imposed in misdemeanor proceedings and prison sentences replacing the imposed fine are executed in prisons. Prison sentence longer than six months imposed in criminal proceedings to male persons is executed in all penitentiaries, while that imposed on female persons is executed in the Požega penitentiary. Regarding gender, the prison system is dominated by male prisoners around 95% compared to female prisoners around 5%. This trend with regard to gender has been relatively stable over the years. Different categories of persons deprived of their liberty (including male and female prisoners) in penitentiaries or prisons may exceptionally participate together in daily activities aimed at re-socialization in accordance with the house rules of the penitentiary or prison.
If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?The abovementioned possibility of participating together in daily activities aimed at re-socialization in accordance with the house rules of the penitentiary or prison is a new regulation and is not yet implemented in practice, but it means that prisoners of both gender may participate together in cultural activities, rehabilitation programmes etc. (according to the professional assessment of the individuals involved), with the supervision of the prison staff.
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information? Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?Tasks of special importance for the prison system and probation administration are the professional training of the prison system and probation officers conducted by the Training Center as one of the organizational units of the Prison System and Probation Administration. The Training Center, in cooperation with external lecturers, implements a training program for officials entitled "Rights and peculiarities of working with transgender people".
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?The aim of the program is to sensitize employees, and to get acquainted with the legal framework, treatment and specifics of working with transgender people.
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If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?-
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information?-
Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?Yes
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?The Swiss Expertise Center in Prison and Probation (SECPP) published in June 2021 guidelines on the management of LGBTIQ+ detainees, to assist prison authorities and the correctional system as whole. The guidelines are the result of a mapping of the situation in Swiss prisons (done through interviews with prison officials), as well as a broad consultation with the Cantons (Switzerland being a federal State, the responsibility of the execution of penal sanctions lies with the Cantons). The guidelines (published in German, French and Italian) identify a series of issues, such as statistics and data (and the lack thereof), the accommodation of transgender inmates, body searches, prevention of discrimination and violence, the recognition of the self-identified gender, as well as access to healthcare. Although focusing on LGBTIQ+ detainees generally, some of the recommendations focus specifically on transgender and intersex inmates. These specific recommendations concern the following topics: - To take into consideration the principle of self-determination of gender identity in placement and accommodation decisions and to give the possibility to appeal decisions - To consider the possibility of single-cell housing - To respect the choice of nouns, names, and pronouns (even when it does not correspond to official documentations) - To take into consideration the self-identified gender identity and the opinion of the concerned person when choosing the gender of the prison staff in charge of conducting a body search - To prohibit searches aiming at identifying sexual characteristics - To take into consideration specific needs in terms of clothes and accessories - To respect the principle of equivalence of care and the continuity of treatment, particularly with regard to gender-affirming therapies In addition to these guidelines, the SECPP (which is also the national training institute for prison personnel) offers a module on LGBTIQ+ detainees as part of the mandatory curriculum as well as continuous education. Both the guidelines and the training modules are of general nature and concern Swiss prisons as a whole (i.e., not specific to certain prisons). For more information: https://www.skjv.ch/fr/nos-themes/lgbtiq
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Rule 126 of The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011 states: PART 13 FEMALE PRISONERS Separation of male and female prisoners 126.—(1) Female prisoners must not share the same accommodation as male prisoners. (2) The respective accommodation for male and female prisoners must, as far as reasonably practicable, be in separate parts of the prison.
If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?Male and female activities, programmes and interventions are kept separate.
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information? Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?SPS set out its Transgender Policy in 2014, but it is currently under review and revision.
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
Yes.
If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?According to Section 50.6 Paragraph two of the Sentence Execution Code of Latvia (hereinafter – the Code), convicted men and women may be held in one open prison. As of 11 August 2021, 41 convicted persons, i.e. 32 convicted women and 9 convicted men, are serving a custodial sentence in the open unit of Olaine prison (Latvian Prison Hospital) (hereinafter – the prison). According to Section 50.6 Paragraph three of the Code, in open prisons, convicted persons shall live in hostel-type premises. In the open unit of the prison, convicted women stay in one dormitory, which is separate from the dormitory for convicted men. During the prison agenda, convicted women and men are free to communicate with each other in the territory determined by the open unit of the prison, including participation in joint numerical examinations of convicts, visiting the prison canteen during meals, participating in the prison improvement and cleaning activities, and participating in organized mental care activities, free time activities (cultural, sports and educational events). According to Section 56.2 Paragraph two Clause 3 of the Code, convicted persons shall be employed for remuneration outside the prison if permitted by the sentence serving regime imposed on the convicted person. The convicts of the open unit of the prison (16 convicted women and 6 convicted men) are employed by economic operators outside the prison territory, where convicted women and men work together in companies. According to Section 68 Paragraph one of the Code, for good behaviour and conscientious attitude towards work or educational activities, the administration of the prison may apply the following incentives to convicted persons, i.e. to leave the prison territory with the permission of the head of the prison once a month for up to 2 twenty-four hour periods, but during holidays - up to 5 twenty-four hour periods.
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information?Until the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, the open unit of the prison regularly organized events for both convicted women and convicted men on their own initiative. The events were organized both inside and outside the prison. Namely, free time activities (sports days, cinema, creative workshops in the prison territory), mental care activities both in the prison territory and attending services outside the prison territory, cultural events (concerts, movies, theatre performances outside the prison territory, excursions) (nature trails, nature museums), thus promoting a better interpersonal communication. These events were organized with assistance of the officials or employees of the Resocialization Department of the prison. In case the event is planned outside the prison territory, a survey of convicts who wants to participate in the event is made, after which a list of convicts is made for preparing the necessary documents. If an event is planned in the prison territory, all convicts of the open unit of the prison shall be informed about the event both orally and in writing. Considering the risks and needs of convicts and in order to reduce dependence on alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants, the open unit of the prison cooperates with both the Alcoholics Anonymous Society (AA) and the Drug Addiction Society (AN). Until the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, once a month convicted women and men of the open unit had the right to attend meetings organized by AA and AN association both outside the prison territory and in the open unit territory. The meetings could be attended by any convicted person of the open unit whose involvement in reducing dependence on alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants is envisaged according with the information of Resocialisation plan. Currently, due to the restrictions introduced by COVID-19, cooperation with these associations takes place remotely and on an individual basis. The prison Centre of Addicts (hereinafter – the Centre) implements the addiction reduction program for both convicted men and women, who are located in separate blocks of the prison section. Currently, due to the restrictions introduced by Covid-19, women are not placed in the Centre, but, as the situation changes, the Administration plans to resume the placement of women in the Centre. Until the introduction of the restrictions, on average 12-16 convicted women and 40-45 convicted men were placed in the Centre. Although convicted men and women were placed in separate blocks where communication was not possible, the staff of the Centre also organized joint events, such as participating in Family Day events, sports events and other thematic events, as well as events outside the prison territory. During the events, convicted men and women had the opportunity to communicate with each other, thus promoting a better interpersonal communication.
Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?No projects or measures are implemented in the prison for the inclusion of trans genders.
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?N/A
The Italian Penitentiary Administration has experience of mixed prison population - men, women and x - restricted in the same prison (Florence Sollicciano and Milan San Vittore host all the types of prisoners mentioned), while as regards the coexistence in the same wing, coexistence experiments between female inmates and transgender within the same wing have been carried out. These experiments, which provided for the sharing of female inmates and transsexuals in common activities during the day and overnight stays in contiguous but distinct wings during the night, are currently interrupted due to problems relating to supervision. From a regulatory point of view, with the changes introduced by Legislative Decree 123/2018, provisions have been introduced aimed at ensuring a minority group of the prison population (women, LGBT, etc. ) an adequate placement within prisons ensuring the balance of treatment needs and prison security.
If yes, to what extent this detention is organised? Is it restricted to the participation of male and female to the same, limited activities or intervention programs? Or which, daily prison regime activities are organised together?As regards the female prison population, the amended art. 14 of law 354/1975 provides that women are housed in prisons separated from the male ones or in separate wings, such as not to compromise their treatment activity. Mothers are allowed to keep their children with them for up to three years (up to 6 years in implementation of law 62/2011, which established the ICAM). As of 20 August 2021, 2186 women are restricted in Italian prisons, of whom 540 are held in prisons only intended for female prisoners - Venice and Trani prisons and Pozzuoli and Roma Rebibbia remand prisons - while the majority of the female prison population is hosted in wings included in male prisons. Twenty-four female prisoners have brought with them, inside prison facilities, their children of minor age, by executing the sentence or remand custody at the “basic security prisons” for mothers (ICAM) or within nursery wings.
If yes, can you give us a short description of this organisation, including a short prison fact sheet (name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population) or send us more detailed information?In general, in Italian prisons there is still a clear separation of spaces and treatment activities aimed at male and female prisoners. The possibility of promoting and carrying out treatment activities with the joint Participation of inmates belonging to different genders has been envisaged with the Internal Regulations for prisons and women's wings of September 2008, which provides for the possibility in male prisons with women's wings to organize school courses and training courses that provide for the joint participation of men and women, when it is not possible to hold courses for female inmates. It was thus intended to overcome the organizational critical issues linked to the small number of female prisoners who, even in very small numbers within prisons, in order to avoid being removed from the emotional and family references places, do not reach the minimum number of students provided for by local Bodies and school regulations for the activation of educational/training courses. In terms of legislation, this principle was set by law n. 354 of 1975 (Penitentiary Act), with the modification of the text of art.19, which envisaged the obligation for Prison Administration to ensure equal access to cultural and professional training for female prisoners and internees, through the planning of specific initiatives. Implementing these principles, the Directorate General for Prisoners and Treatment of the Italian Prison Administration authorizes the carrying out of continuous activities and individual events, with the simultaneous participation of men and women, provided that the Departments ensure the separation between prisoners of different genders within the indoor or outdoor spaces where shared activities take place. The carrying out of initiatives providing for the simultaneous presence of fathers and mothers in prison has become a generalized good practice in male prisons with female wings, as regards initiatives to support parenthood and/or the holding of seminars with the participation of representatives of culture and entertainment of great appeal among prison population.
Do you have specific projects or measures installed for the inclusion of trans genders (x)?In general, in Italian prisons there is still a clear separation of spaces and treatment activities aimed at male and female prisoners. The possibility of promoting and carrying out treatment activities with the joint Participation of inmates belonging to different genders has been envisaged with the Internal Regulations for prisons and women's wings of September 2008, which provides for the possibility in male prisons with women's wings to organize school courses and training courses that provide for the joint participation of men and women, when it is not possible to hold courses for female inmates. It was thus intended to overcome the organizational critical issues linked to the small number of female prisoners who, even in very small numbers within prisons, in order to avoid being removed from the emotional and family references places, do not reach the minimum number of students provided for by local Bodies and school regulations for the activation of educational/training courses. In terms of legislation, this principle was set by law n. 354 of 1975 (Penitentiary Act), with the modification of the text of art.19, which envisaged the obligation for Prison Administration to ensure equal access to cultural and professional training for female prisoners and internees, through the planning of specific initiatives. Implementing these principles, the Directorate General for Prisoners and Treatment of the Italian Prison Administration authorizes the carrying out of continuous activities and individual events, with the simultaneous participation of men and women, provided that the Departments ensure the separation between prisoners of different genders within the indoor or outdoor spaces where shared activities take place. The carrying out of initiatives providing for the simultaneous presence of fathers and mothers in prison has become a generalized good practice in male prisons with female wings, as regards initiatives to support parenthood and/or the holding of seminars with the participation of representatives of culture and entertainment of great appeal among prison population.
If yes, can you specify these measures and specify whether these measures are installed in every prison or whether it concerns projects installed in certain prisons (including the name of the prison, and nature and extent of the prison population)?