Places of short-Term Deprivation of Liberty year of activity efforts were made to visit those establishments that handled the largest numbers of detainees. The Civil Guard establishments visited accounted for 70% of all arrests by this force that resulted in holding in cells. 93. The officers interviewed reported that the average holding time in cells was The average holding usually less than 24 hours. On the inspection visits carried out no cases were time is usually less than detected in which the maximum time established by law was exceeded. 24 hours 94. The condition of the establishments varies widely, though most of them are Most establishments are old and at many both the holding cells and the residential quarters for officers old, and many are in poor and their family stationed there (known as “barrack blocks” [pabellones] and condition numbering over 35,000 throughout Spain) are in poor condition. Conditions were observed to be particularly bad at the Arguineguin barracks in Las Palmas, where it was recommended that a new block be constructed urgently. Recommendations for improvements in establishments and living conditions were also made at the establishments visited in Bilbao (Vizcaya), Cartagena (Murcia) and Toledo. At the said establishments, the standard of conservation and upkeep of the holding cell areas was also found to be poor. The cells at the Guzmán el Bueno barracks in Madrid were found to be in a strikingly poor condition and in need of urgent refurbishment. 95. At most of the establishments visited the cells were on the ground floor, At most of the either in an area adjacent to the checkpoint at the entrance or in an adjoining establishments visited the building accessed via the central courtyard. In the latter case, detainees usually access the cells directly from the vehicle in which they are transported. Establishments were also found at which the holding cells were on the ground cells are on the ground floor. For the sake of security, privacy and respect for the honour of floor of the buildings in which officers and their families lived, e.g. at the detainees, places of barracks in Aviles (Asturias), Arnedo (La Rioja) and Inca (Balearic Islands). deprivation of liberty For the sake of security, to safeguard privacy, ensure respect for the honour of detainees and establish the necessary reasonable separation between places of should be separated from residential areas deprivation of liberty and residential areas, it is advisable that these holding cells be transferred to more suitable locations. Moreover, the access of detainees to the holding area should not be via the main entrance to the building, where they may coincide with other visitors. In this regard, the Civil Guard argue that it would be difficult to implement widespread changes for both architectural and budgetary reasons. However, they consider that the criteria requested can be applied at new-built establishments and establishments which are refurbished. They further consider that changes could be made in their conventional modus operandi in line with the possibilities at each facility (access routes via garages or underground basements, opening up of additional doors, etc.) to improve matters in this regard. THE OMBUDSMAN OF SPAIN 67