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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 National Administration of Penitentiaries of Romania is interested in updating the regulations on the shops functioning inside the prisons. For this reason, we would like to gather information about the prison shops management procedures and to find best practices that are being used by other penitentiary systems.
Yes. It is managed by an specific Public Entity that belongs to the Penitentiary Administration.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?The first option is possible in Spain but not the ordinary case. Usually, is the specific Public Entity the one in charge of this services.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?They have to be similar to the outside. No more expensive.
Yes. Managed by the penitentiary
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?nil
How are the marketing prices of products determined?prices are slightly cheaper than those on the market
Yes, detainees can buy Food and Non-Food articles at the prisoners' canteen. The canteen is managed by the penitentiary.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?/
How are the marketing prices of products determined?The prices of the products are the same as the market prices. We do have a few other suppliers, but we also do the same prices as them.
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DHL currently manage the full remit of HMPPS Retail provision which includes the procurement, picking, packing and delivering of prisoner ‘canteen’ for an average 66,000 prisoners weekly at 111 prison locations across the UK (108 Public Sector Prisons, 2 Private Sector Prisons and 1 IRC). The contract provides a range of products from foodstuffs, vapes to toiletries which are picked and packed at 18 workshops located within prisons. These workshops provide employment places for approximately 520 prisoners daily and are supported by approx 320 DHL employees who provide guidance, support and training.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?Criteria / Objectives Deliver a standardised retail operation that aims to achieve cost neutral – the cost of the service will ideally be covered by the sales margin. Deliver a retail operation that provides purposeful activity for prisoners and provides an opportunity for skills acquisition for resettlement. Deliver a retail operation that incorporates a product list that reflects the diverse needs of the prison population, and creates incentives for prisoners. Deliver a product list in which all product prices are comparable to high street prices. (MMRP) and impartially verified. Deliver a retail operation and product list that does not compromise security in any way. Deliver a retail operation that guarantees surety of service of retail products to prisons and thus mitigates order and control issues.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?HMPPS Prison Retail pricing policy is to charge the Prisoner MMRP (Manufacturers Recommended Retail Price) based on convenience store facilities and not large supermarkets. Every product on the National product List has a Maximum Order Quantity. This restricts the prisoner on the amount he / she can purchase every week. The HMPPS Retail Operations team meets regularly with the supplier and a “shopping basket” comparison exercise is carried out 4 times per year.
The normative acts provide prisoners with the right to shop in the prison shop, but they do not require the LPA or its structural units to provide trade services in prisons. When performing the relevant procedure in accordance with normative acts, LPA shall select a company who may provide retail services. In all imprisonment places, prisoners have the opportunity to buy food and other goods in prison shops.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?LPA enters into a fixed-term contract with a retail service provider, during which prisoners have the opportunity to purchase food and other goods. In order to ensure the provision of services, LPA shall transfer the premises of the imprisonment place to the retail service provider for a fee on the basis of a separate lease agreement concluded with the retail service provider.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?The retail service provider shall ensure the operation of the prison shop network, which provides prisoners in all prison shops with the opportunity to purchase goods at equal prices in accordance with the provisions of the concluded contract. Due to the recent contract with a retail service provider for the provision of services in prisons, no price checks are currently being carried out, but control measures will be developed and implemented over time.
Prisoners may buy groceries, toiletries and other items which are permitted in prison, by using the funds deposited in their personal accounts pursuant to the procedure provided in the internal rules of the prison. The goods are sold by the prison or a legal person governed by private law with whom the respective civil law contract has been entered into. Prisoners of open prisons may also do the shopping outside the prison.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?If the prison shop services are provided by the external service provider then it is done according to the public procurement conditions and to the tender that is declared successful. In addition, it is also done in accordance with the legislation, in particular with the Imprisonment Act and with the rules of procedure of a prison established by the prison director. If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary the service is provided on the basis of catalogue trade, according to which a prisoner orders goods from a merchant through the prison, the merchant delivers the goods to the prison and the prison arranges payment for the goods from the detainee's personal account. If the shop services are organized by the prison then these services are also provided on the principle of the catalogue trade, according to which a prisoner orders the goods on the basis of a price-list and that are in the catalogue (prisoners will complete an order form), next the prison shop firstly orders the goods to the prison (the prison will store, assembly and package the goods) and then hands them out to the prisoner.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?The price of the goods sold may be up to 20 per cent higher than their wholesale purchase price. Prisoner’s monthly shopping expenses may not exceed the limits of the minimum monthly wages established by the Government of the Republic. Restrictions on the quantity of goods are described in the prison rules. The Ministry of Justice shall exercise supervisory control over prisons.
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In each prison facility, there are established prison shops for inmates with alimentary, chemist and industrial goods. Inmates have the right to shop there mainly groceries and things of personal need at least once a calendar week in an adequate amount and taking into account the possibility of their safe storage in the box (locker) and in compliance with ensuring the health harmlessness of the groceries. The responsibility for the operation of the prison shop (obliging the legality of the sales) is currently borne by the leaseholder – a private entrepreneur (natural person or legal entity who has authorisation to conduct business in the field of retail sale).
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?The procedure for ensuring the operation of the prison shops is uniform for all prison facilities and it is stipulated by an internal regulation of the General Directorate of the Corps of Prison and Court Guard. The offer to lease the premises of a particular prison shop and premises related to its operation (e.g. storage areas) are published in the central register of offered state property (register is maintained by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic). This publicly available offer contains information mainly on: - the method of determining the amount of lease for the offered premises per 1 m2 per year, - the amount of estimated operational costs, - the term and conditions of the lease, - the method of communication between prison and applicant, - the award criteria. The Prison Governor shall establish a commission to select the best/ the most suitable offer from those received within the specified time period. The commission shall look into offers of all applicants. The commission shall discuss with the applicant who offered the highest lease the obligatory conditions that will be a part of the contract of lease (e.g. the obligation of the leaseholder: to employ in the prison shop only employees with no criminal record; to sell only assortment of goods that are approved by a prison or not to sell defined items endangering good order and security in the prison; to maintain the price level of selling assortment on the level that is adequate for particular locality and the character of establishment). In case, the applicant with the highest offer agrees on all conditions, the prison shall conclude with him the contract of lease for non-residential premises for a maximum of five years. Other applicants shall be notified on the fact that they did not succeed. In the notification shall be stated the reason why their offer was not successful.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?The contract of lease stipulates the obligation of the leaseholder to maintain the price level of selling assortment on the level that is adequate for particular locality in the retail network. In case, the leaseholder increases the price of selling assortment excessively in comparison to similar assortment in the retail network and he is informed about this fact by a leaser, it is possible to end the lease. The adequacy check of the price level in the prison shops with the prices in the retail network is carried out by prison staff of particular prison at quarterly intervals (the development of prices at least of 20 different kinds of most frequently sold alimentary goods and tobacco assortment and their availability and requested range during purchases of inmates is evaluated).
In the prisons of Catalonia there are shops or store counter services also known as “economats” where inmates can purchase both, food and non-food products. A total of 450 different products are being sold in these shops, which are grouped into the following types: tobacconist, drinks, tins or canned food products, diary, general food, pre-cooked food, bread and pastries, cookies, snacks and sweets, hygienic products and cosmetics, ironmongery and stationery. Moreover, there are two catalogue services from which the inmates can purchase products by placing an order: • Small consumer electronics such as TV, radio, mp3, fan and water boiler (every good purchased by an inmate undergoes a safety check before entering the prison) • Clothes, shoes and related complements In addition, there are also vending machines available in every unit from which inmates can purchase hot and cold beverages as well as snacks. Payment of any of the above mentioned products is made by a cashless system via the inmate’s prison card. The inmate’s prison card is transferred a limited amount of money every week which is withdrawn from their prisoner account. The prisoner account can receive money from the salary monthly pay for their job in prison or from their relatives who can transfer money as well.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?The prison shops are managed by the Ministry of Justice via a public agency named CIRE, which in addition to running the shops, is also responsible for providing vocational training to inmates and manages the production workshops which employ inmates inside the prisons. CIRE organises a public tender to outsource the infrastructure, management, maintenance and provision of the shops and the vending machine services to a private company. The contract with the private company is normally for 4 years according to the conditions established by the public tender. One of the conditions required is that shop clerks in prison shops have to be inmates hired by CIRE and supervised by prison staff. Inmates are paid for this job according to the standards of the work in prison for inmates.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?The marketing prices of all products including those from the shops, the catalogue service and the vending machines, are determined by the Shops Committee which belongs to CIRE. The Shops Committee defines the marketing prices according to the criteria foreseen by art. 24 of the Prison Organic Law (Ley Orgánica General Penitenciaria) which lays out that prices for the products sold in prison shops cannot be higher than those of the shops in the city or town where the prison is located.
Yes. The shops are managed by private companies. They sell food, luxury goods and personal care products in the premises of the correctional facility.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?The current purchasing process is to be converted to order purchasing this year. The tendering process is currently underway. The aim is that the prisoners of all correctional facilities order the items from an order list and that the delivery and handover is carried out by a company. The changeover to order purchasing takes place in particular for reasons of saving human resources for purchasing, for security reasons and to prevent price differences in the correctional facilities. The license is awarded according to the award criteria of the offer price and the scope of the goods offered.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?The companies are responsible for determining the marketing prices. The sales prices should be comparable to similar facilities. Advantageous special offers must be submitted regularly.
In our closed prisons (15) we have shops, which are managed by the penitentiary except one prison, where the inmates order food and non-food products from the store nearby. The ordering is managed anonymously and the prison charges the inmates and is paying to the storekeeper. In our open prisons (11) and open units (6) the inmates get permission of leave to go shopping in civil stores, except in one prison, where there is a shop managed by the penitentiary.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?The shops – managed by the penitentiary – buy most of the goods via Framework Agreements, which are made by Hansel (https://www.hansel.fi/en/) via competitive tendering. All the food, most of the non-food products (personal hygiene, writing materials etc), tobacco products and nicotine replacement products can be purchased via Agreements. The prisoners purchase also telephone call time in the shops, because they must use the telephone system specially made for Finnish penitentiary circumstances. There can be some local procurement contracts also for the things, that are not possible to buy via F.A. or the prison officer do the shopping in the stores nearby the prison, if there’s something that is needed very seldom like gluten free flour. The inmates can either go to the shop or they make shopping list and get groceries delivered. The way it is organized depends on the circumstances of the prison, the unit in the prison or if the inmate has to be isolated some time etc. The shops can be very tiny, like a storage, where the inmates get over the counter things they want. Or the shop can be like a little supermarket, where everyone can pick up the things by themselves. Some shops are managed by the personnel only, but in some of the shops the inmates are working with the prison officer. In Finland we have plans to make a deal with one economic operator to manage these shops. We are also testing self-service shops.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?The Framework Agreement gives us possibility to low-priced products of all the most common food- and non-food products e.g. coffee, milk products, shampoo, so that the poorest can also buy all the necessary. And when we centralize the assortment to certain products, we can get very good prices to some good products, when we buy a lot of just that one. E.g. our coffee-machine and waterboiler are good products with fair price, because of the sale is good. We also don’t take much profit; almost only to cover costs for products, transport and the wastage.
Private shops operate at the institutions subordinate to the Prison Department. Inmates and pre-trial detainees may purchase food products and other personal items. The list of items allowed to be purchased and possessed by inmates/ pre-trial detainees is approved by the Minister of Justice. Items that are not included in the list are not available at the shops.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?The premises of the shops are leased in compliance with the tender procedure concluding the Lease Agreement with the winner. The subject of the Lease Agreement is provision of shopping services to inmates/pre-trial detainees by renting real estate (i.e. premises for the operation of the shop) managed by a trustee.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?Prices of food products and other items are fixed and included in the Agreement, they may be amended only in cases provided by in the Agreement, e.g. if the amount of the VAT rate is changed by the legislation of the Republic of Lithuania. The prison administration inspects the range of goods sold in the shop and their prices at least once a month.
There are no physical shops in Scottish prisons. Prisons can order and pay for food and non-food items through the 'canteen system'. Orders are placed and then 'bagged and tagged' for delivery to the prisoner.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?There is a shopping facility for all prisoners. Prisoners are able to buy a range of goods, including writing materials and stamps. There is a mechanism by which prisoners may purchase telephone call time. Information is provided to prisoners about the range and price of goods available from the shopping facility. Prisoners are consulted about the range of goods available from the shopping facility. Opportunities to purchase canteen provisions are afforded at least twice per week to remand prisoners and once per week to convicted prisoners
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Pursuant to paragraph 6 of art. 9 of law 354 of 1975 (Prison Law), inmates are given the opportunity to purchase food or other products at the so-called ‘sopravvitto’, a sort of shop inside prison managed directly by the Administration, or given in contract to external companies. Pursuant to art. 14 of the Regulations of enforcement as per Presidential Decree n. 230/2000, a list of food and comfort items (called, as mentioned, model 72) is prepared at each Prison Directorate, which inmates can purchase at their own expenses.
If the shops are not managed by the penitentiary, what are the criteria for their rental/operation? If the shops are managed by the penitentiary, what is the procedure and what are the financial and human implications?The use of the premises assigned to the Contractor is carried out on loan for use. The Contractor is required to provide for the routine maintenance of the premises granted in use, daily cleaning and sanitation of the premises. Finally, the Contractor is required to repair and refurbish works damaged or destroyed due to or during the performance of the service.
How are the marketing prices of products determined?To ensure that no speculation is made about prisoners, the Prison Directorate proceeds on a monthly basis to verify that the prices charged at the ‘sopravvitto’ are not higher than those commonly charged in the retail outlets in the place where the prison is located. In order to allow access also to non-branded and low-cost products, the detection of prices, limited to these specific products, will be carried out at hard discount stores closest to each prison and which allow for timely control.