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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 Prison Service of the Czech Republic is currently dealing with a growing problem of smartwatches being smuggled into prison facilities and then used by prisoners as a communication device. Therefore, we are interested in what the practice is in other European prison systems with regard to preventing smartwatch gadgets being smuggled and used as communication devices in prisons.
We consider them the same as mobile phones and refuse them entry for that reason. We have not recovered too many so it is not a problem for our prison system.
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?We refuse entry based on the law that prohibits entry of mobile phones in prisons.
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?Legislation provides that mobile phones are prohibited from prisons. We treat smartwatch gadgets the way we treat mobile phones and prohibit on that basis. Once prohibited we refuse entry of the smart watch to all wearers.
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?The screening staff are responsible to ensure all items are stopped at entry point. All persons entering are screened at entry point, watches are removed for the purpose of screening, and all smart watches are refused entry and placed in lockers at entry point or waiting room.
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?We do not allow prisoners have watches. All watches are taken on committal and placed in the prisoners property in the general office and only given back on release, or signed out to visitors on request from the prisoner.
No major concerns at minute but we aware of the impact they could have
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?Nothing specific for watches, they fall under general legislation around prohibited articles
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?Legislation applies to everyone entering a prison
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?Notices are displayed at entrances to prisons identifying the articles not permitted. Anyone who has a smart watch will leave it at the entrance and retrieve it on leaving
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?Prisoners may have their own watch but restrictions apply so smartwatches not allowed
Smartwatch gadgets are not included in the list of items allowed to inmates in penitentiary establishments
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?Yes
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?The list of prison officers and employees of state enterprises (that employ inmates/ pre-trial detainees) who are allowed to bring service mobile phones inside the penitentiary establishments/remand prisons is approved by the Director General of the Prison Department
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?Responsible officers regularly check incoming/outgoing persons and their belongings to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates. Items that are not allowed in establishments are left in special storage boxes upon entrance.
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?Seeking to find and exempt items not allowed to inmates/ pre-trial detainees to have searches and inspections of prison/ remand prison area and premises are done
Procedures are in place to detect, uncover and prevent the use of illegal communication devices within the prison environment including smartwatches and mobile phones.
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?The Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 made the possession in prison of an unauthorised mobile phone, or any of its component parts, a criminal offence. One of the intentions of the Act is to give Prosecutors the power to pursue those believed to be maintaining their involvement in Serious and Organised Crime whilst serving a term of imprisonment. The Act does not envisage, nor is it required, that every mobile phone found in the possession of a prisoner be dealt with in this way. To process low level offenders through the prosecution process for a single mobile phone find would be extensive and expensive with little benefit to the prison and the public. Clarity as to how Governors should respond in instances of mobile phone finds on prisoners therefore is required. On the first occasion that a mobile phone is found on a prisoner, unless intelligence had been received to suggest that the mobile phone found was linked to Serious and Organised Criminality, the matter should be dealt with in the Orderly Room as an alleged breach of Prison Rules. In every case when a prisoner has been previously in the same sentence found to be in possession of a mobile phone, the matter should be referred to the Police. Smartwatches are considered a general communication tool and are prohibited alongside mobile phones.
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?Staff, visitors, external workers, professional personnel etc. are required to leave any prohibited item such as a mobile phone or smartwatch in a personal locker available in the reception area of the prison.
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?Scanning and security procedures carried out at the gate which revealed a prohibited item such as a mobile phone or smartphone would require the item to be secured in a locker as described above.
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?Incoming prisoners who are found to have a smartwatch or mobile phone on admission, would have the prohibited items removed and logged for retention in their personal possessions held in storage for the duration of their sentence. Possessions are returned on release.
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With regard to the fact that smartwatch offers a variety of functions that enable Internet access, calling, reading text messages or GPS navigation services, compared to the regular watch, from the view of our prison service they belongs among audio-visual technical means. Under § 15 of the Act No. 4/2001 Coll. on the Corps of Prison and Court Guard as amended, the prison officer is authorised to ask a person who enters, is or leaves the protected building, to give him/her the smartwatch. The prison officer shall issue a written confirmation of their withdrawal. This smartwatch shall be given back when person leaves the protected building or when the inmate is released. In case that despite of the request of the prison officer, the person entering does not withdraw this smartwatch, he/she shall not be allowed to enter the protected building. In case of smuggling the smartwatch in the protected building, this person thus commits a trespass for which a penalty can be imposed from 33 to 331 Eur.
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?See the answer to question No. 1.
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?Withdrawal of audio-visual technical means does not apply to e.g. “privileged persons” (e.g. state representatives, judges, members of the rescue services of the Integrated Rescue System, control authorities, etc.) and to persons authorized by the Director General of the Prison Service.
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?See the answer to question No. 1.
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?See the answer to question No. 1.
Currently in Latvian prison system smartwatches and their illegal use for communication is not considered an urgent problem.
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?In Latvian prison system the imprisoned persons are not allowed smartwatches the same as telephones. Prison staff may wear smartwatches if the smartwatch cannot make calls.
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?It is set in normative acts that in imprisonment places it is allowed to store, purchase and receive parcels and packages. Items, products or substances that are not noted in normative acts are considered as items that are prohibited to bring in, use and store in imprisonment places. Except, if the officer in charge allows it. It applies to imprisoned persons, staff and other natural persons.
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?Individual persons and transportation vehicles are searched.
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?Because smartwatches in Latvian imprisonment places are not included among allowed items, smartwatches found during search are confiscated and destroyed; however, with the permission of the prison governor regular watches are handed out.
Based on recent research, there are low levels of reported finds of smart watches in the prison estate in England and Wales. Despite this, we are monitoring this trend closely as we are aware of the capabilities of these devices to be used as a communicative tool and especially given their ease of use and how easy they are to conceal.
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?There is existing legislation in the Crime and Security Act (2010) which prohibits the unauthorised possession of a device capable of transmitting images, sounds or information by electronic communications. Whilst this doesn’t specifically reference smart watch gadgets, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that a smart watch would come under the provided definition of unauthorised devices. Therefore, all unauthorised smart watches capable of sending/receiving messages and notifications are prohibited with a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison.
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?The above legislation covers any person in prison. This would include personnel, visitors, prisoners and external workers. In addition, prisons have Local Security Strategies (LSS) which would determine specific rules regarding what is and isn’t allowed to be worn into a prison. For instance, one prison prohibits visitors from wearing any type of watch during scheduled visits.
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?Every prison has a thorough search process upon entering. Some of these processes include airport-style scanning machines, physical searches, BOSS chair scanners etc which all mitigate against the risk of the conveyance of smart watches into the prison. As mentioned above, certain prisons which require entering people to remove/leave watches at the gate. We are also planning an awareness campaign with our staff to ensure they are familiar with the appearance of different types of smart watches and their capabilities.
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?The misuse of smart watches is prevented by the removal of such devices from the prison. Rigorous search procedures upon entering, combined with regular and periodic searches of the prisoner’s person and cell whilst in a prison help to identify and remove the presence of smart watches.
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No there are not allowed in our prisons.
Do you have any legislation/internal rules dealing specifically with the smartwatch gadgets? Or are smartwatches considered as a general “communication tool” and prohibited alongside mobile phones etc.?The multifunctional devices are not permitted because of the safety risks involved and because individual checking of the different models is impossible.
If so, are such rules/legislation and your subsequent policy aimed at all entering individuals or just a specific group (personnel / visitors / prisoners / external workers etc.)?The prohibition applies to anyone who is in or enters a prison, regardless of their capacity (staff, incoming prisoners, visitors to prisoners or others).
What procedures do you have in place in order to prevent the entry of smartwatches through entrances/gates?Persons in possession of an activity tracker must deposit it according to the procedures that apply to each category. Incoming detainees and detainees who currently have such a device can always request that it be handed over to a person designated by them.
How do you prevent the misuse of smartwatch gadgets by prisoners (do you temporarily confiscate all watches upon admission – do you provide prisoners with a single-type watches etc.)?It ‘s not allowed in the prison.