8 THE PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMEN’S INSPEC TIONS OF REMAND PRISONS 2015–2019 lation of inmates are presented. The section is divided into the following sections: 1. Inmates’ right of association with other inmates 2. Work with isolation-breaking measures 3. The Prison and Probation Service’s planning and the design of the remand prison facilities 4. Shortcomings in some remand prison facilities 5. The association remand prison in Helsingborg 6. Overcrowding in remand prisons 7. Placement of inmates in segregation other inmates if an inmate is placed in a facility located outside of a remand prison. During several inspections, it was noted that inmates without restrictions and who have not been placed in segregation had nevertheless been placed in restriction departments. As such, they were not provided with the opportunity to associate with other inmates. Table 4 shows how many inmates without restrictions were placed in restriction departments (R-dept) in connection with the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s inspection series in 2017. In December 2017, the Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman stated the following: “What has emerged from the inspections shows that inmates without restrictions are, in many cases, isolated in a way comparable to the conditions applicable to inmates held with restrictions. This is, of course, not acceptable and is in clear contravention of how the enforcement of a decision depriving a person of their liberty is intended to be implemented for these categories of inmates according to the Remand Prisons Act (2010:611). The Prison and Probation Service must therefore ensure that these inmates receive special attention. The premise must be that they must be provided with the opportunity to associate unless there is reason to place an inmate in segregation in accordance with chap. 2 Section 5 of the Remand Prisons Act.”2 8.1 Inmates’ right of association with other inmates As stated in section 2.3, as a main rule, inmates have the right to associate with other inmates during the day. For inmates held on remand, this right can be limited via restrictions imposed by a prosecutor. Furthermore, the right of association with other inmates can be limited for all categories of inmates via decisions to place them in segregation. It is also possible to limit association with Table 4 Inmates without restrictions in restriction departments Remand prison Date Inmates without restrictions in R-dept. Gävle (38 places) 30–31 January 2017 17 inmates Huddinge (137 places) 23–24 January 2017 31 inmates Kronoberg (123 places)*) 26 January 2017 44 inmates Sollentuna (240 places) 2–3 February 2017 35 inmates *) During the inspection, more than half of the prison’s places were closed due to renovation. In some cases, it was noted that a remand prison has routines which entail inmates who do not have restrictions are placed in restriction departments. An inspection of Sollentuna Remand Prison in February 2017 revealed that, upon admission of a new Information taken from the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s report dnr 416–4192017. 2 – 42 – See the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s report dnr 416-2017 p. 12.