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rules of competence allocation in line with European penitentiary
standards.
2.2
Inmates with mental disorders
The NPM has already highlighted in the past that the Liechtenstein State
Prison is increasingly confronted with inmates with mental disorders for
whom the State Prison is not a suitable institution to offer professional
care. On the one hand, the behaviour of inmates with mental disorders
may have a negative effect on the state of other inmates and cause
anxiety. On the other hand, these cases also require the prison officers
to increase their workload even further and to act with an even greater
degree of professionalism. The NPM has been informed that the Ministry
for Home Affairs, Education and Environment has now set up a working
group which deals with the topics of involuntary commitment and
commitment of prison inmates with mental disorders.
The NPM welcomes the related clarifications which are currently
being made, and looks forward to receiving a result from the
working group soon.
2.3
Initial medical examination
The NPM was under the impression that an initial examination by the
prison’s physician is not performed in time on all prisoners upon their
admission to the institution. The NPM takes the liberty to recall that
§ 125(6) of the Liechtenstein Penitentiary System Act (StVG) provides
that all prisoners must undergo a medical examination upon their
admission or as soon as possible. Likewise, the Council of Europe
Prison Rules no. 16 and no. 42.1 state that all prisoners must be
presented to the medical staff after their admission as soon as possible
and that an examination must be conducted unless this is obviously
unnecessary.