CAT/C/URY/CO/3 combating crime in the State party. The Committee is also concerned by information that it has received which indicates that the tightening of criminal legislation applicable to juvenile offenders has led to a significant increase in the number of minors deprived of their liberty and that this has resulted in a deterioration in their conditions of detention at Adolescent Criminal Responsibility System (SIRPA) facilities. Although the State party has not provided information on occupancy levels in these centres, information at the Committee’s disposal indicates that there is overcrowding at the SER and Las Piedras centres in Colonia Berra and that this situation is made worse by the fact that these young people are confined to their cells for up to 23 hours a day, with no access to educational or recreational activities. Conditions of detention at the Admissions Centre for Female Adolescents (CIAF) and the Ceprili Detention Centre, in Montevideo, are also very poor, with problems with regard to the water supply and sanitation facilities being noted, in particular. The Committee is also concerned by information indicating that the adoption of more stringent measures to prevent escapes from these centres has considerably restricted inmates’ opportunities for contact with the outside world (arts. 2, 11 and 16). The State party should ensure that its juvenile justice system is fully in line with international standards, especially the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (Riyadh Guidelines) and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Rules). In particular, the Committee urges the State party to: (a) Ensure that the minimum age of criminal responsibility is in accordance with internationally established standards; (b) Ensure that minor offenders are deprived of their liberty only as a last resort and for the shortest amount of time possible and that their detention is reviewed periodically with a view to putting an end to it; (c) Use alternatives to pretrial detention wherever possible; (d) Ensure that conditions of detention in juvenile custodial centres are consistent with the Convention and other international human rights standards and that the minors in these centres receive care, protection, an education and job training; (e) centres. Redouble its efforts to alleviate overcrowding in juvenile detention Juvenile facilities 13. The Committee is gravely concerned by reports of ill-treatment of minors in SIRPA facilities. According to the information submitted, there are documented cases of illtreatment in the form of beatings, the use of stress positions such as the “paquetito” or “package” (shackling hands and feet behind the back), abusive or humiliating punishments, including forced nudity, collective punishments, strip searches, invasive body searches and the use of coercive measures within these facilities. While welcoming the additional information provided by the delegation, according to which SIRPA has opened 16 files on cases of ill-treatment, sexual abuse and irregularities in restraint procedures since 2012, and criminal complaints have been brought in 3 cases arising in the SER centre, the Committee finds it regrettable that the information does not include the number of alleged victims or their sex and age, the place of detention concerned or the protective measures taken in each case. Notwithstanding the delegation’s statement in which it categorically denied all allegations that psychopharmaceutical substances are administered as a means of restraint, the Committee remains concerned by reports indicating that there are irregularities in this regard, particularly in respect of female juvenile detainees. Lastly, the Committee is GE.14-04582 5