Lost your Password?
Click Here
Don't have an account?
Register Here
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.
Want to ask a question? Please read our guidance information found here: Submitting a KMS Question
← Back Search KMSThis content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
Introduction: The Scottish Prison Service seeks to hear from other prison services about any experience they have in using electrochromatic doors on cells. An electrochromatic door is a steel door with two windows - positioned at the top and bottom of the door. The windows are opaque in their default mode and can be made transparent with the turn of a key by a prison officer for the purposes of interacting with individuals or carrying out observations of individuals in cells with minimum disruption and in a less obtrusive manner. When the windows are transparent both the individual in the cell and the member of staff outside the cell can see through the door. When the window is opaque, neither the individual in the cell nor anyone on the other side of the cell can see through the door.
This system does not exist in our service. We have something similar: what we call observation cells.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used?Observation cells are used in case of inmates that have to be permanently observed because of different reasons (inestable behaviour, medical observation, suicide risk, etc.).
Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise.Answered before.
What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners?Answered before.
Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?Answered before.
No.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used? Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise. What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners? Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
The Corps of Prison and Court Guard does not make use of such doors.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used? Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise. What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners? Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
No, we do not have any such windows / doors in the Swedish Prison and Probation Service.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used?Not used.
Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise.We have no such policies governing this.
What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners?No experience.
Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?No experience.
Yes.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used?Currently use in the NVRU (National Violent Reduction Unit) Midlands Prison in a Special Observation Cell (Top and Bottom Glazed section).
Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise.No.
What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners?The use of the electrochromic door has stopped the occupant in the cell having a line of sight of a common shared lobby space with an integrated Shower unit where the adjoining cell occupant may be using.
Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?No.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
No, in the prison service of the Republic of Croatia electrochromatic (photo chromatic) doors are not used on cells.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used?N/A
Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise.N/A
What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners?N/A
Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?N/A
We do not use this type of door in Estonia
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used?-
Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise.The use of this type of door is not regulated in Estonia.
What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners?There is no experience of using this type of door in Estonia
Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?-
No electrochromatic doors are used in Latvian prisons.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used?N/A
Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise.Paragraph 8 of Regulation No 491 of the Cabinet of Ministers of 26.07.2016 ''Technical Requirements for the Construction of Penitentiary Institutions and Remand Prisons'' stipulates that the rooms of a prison where prisoners are kept for long periods of time shall be equipped with impact-resistant doors. According to the legislation, the use of electrochromatic doors in cells is not prohibited in Latvian prisons.
What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners?According Latvian Prison Administration, if electrochromic doors were installed in prisons, officials would be able to carry out visual checks on prisoners to a much higher quality, which would contribute to improving security and compliance with prisoners' behavioral norms. In particular, the visual control of prisoners by means of electrochromic doors would allow for a better assessment of the level of risk posed by prisoners on a case-by-case basis, especially in the case of prisoners who are at high risk.
Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?N/A
No.
If so, where (on what kind of cells) are they used? Do you have policies which relegate the use of cells with these kinds of doors? If so please summarise. What do you perceive to be the benefits in terms of impact on prisoners, staff and their ability to manage prisoners? Have you experienced any negative impacts in the use of the doors on prisoners or staff?