5. CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD PROMISING PRACTICE: INTER-PRISON COMMUNICATION AND VISITS [5.6] Consideration should be given to whether a prisoner should be able to visit another prisoner, particularly if they are close family members. Inter-prison phone calls: In England and Wales there is a system of inter-prison phone calls in the case of prisoners who have partners, or close relatives in another prison. Under this arrangement, the two prison administrations must agree that one prisoner can receive the call on an official telephone at a time convenient to both prisons.277 Some prisons also allow video links for inter-prison ‘visits’. Inter-prison visits: In Belgium prisoners can request a temporary transfer to another facility in order to visit close family members, including partners of the same or opposite sex, who are also in prison. Under this system both prisoners must make the request. If agreed by the prison administration and depending on the availability of space, the prisoners can spend up to two weeks together in one facility. When prisoners who are partners are held in the same facility they can visit each other once a week in the normal visiting area and can meet visiting family members at the same time. Partners in the same facility can also request to spend time together in a single cell. Decisions on such requests are based on individual assessments and security considerations.278 5 Types and frequency of communication 122 27 Prisons can enable meaningful contact with the outside world in many ways. In addition to the standard system of visits, phone calls and emails or letters, prison administrations could consider consulting family members or friends if a prisoner is depressed or suicidal, or if the prisoner has behavioural issues. 28 The increased use of email and internet-based chat and calling programmes, such as Skype, instead of regular mail can be beneficial for prisoners and their families in terms of costs, speed and frequency of communication. However, it should be noted that letters, phone calls and other forms of remote communication are not substitutes for in-person visits. 29 The regularity with which communication is permitted with family and friends should be sufficient to enable prisoners to enjoy their right to family life. The CPT has emphasized the “need for some flexibility as regards the application of rules on visits and telephone contacts” for families who live far away from the prisoner.279 30 Standard visiting schedules are important for prison management as well as for prisoners and their visitors. However, prison administrations should also allow a degree of flexibility in these schedules to take into account different working arrangements, school hours, or other personal considerations, such as childcare. If a prisoner has limited out-of-cell time, their use of telephones or computers for emails should not be limited only to this out-of-cell time. 31 It is good practice to allow prisoners whose families can only visit infrequently to accumulate prison visits so that they can eventually have longer visits, or visits spanning several days. PROMISING PRACTICE: PROACTIVE APPROACHES TO FAMILY CONTACT [5.7] Prison authorities can allow prisoners to proactively participate in important family or community matters, in person or via remote communication. This could include, for example, participation via Skype, or similar telecommunications application software, in matters relating to their child’s education, health and development. In Georgia, as generally only family members can visit prisoners (see promising practice, 5.4), video conference technology has been rolled out to give prisoners the opportunity to speak with other contacts.280 277 278 279 280 277. Prison Service Instruction 49/2011, Prisoner Communications Services UK Ministry of Justice, 26 September 2011, Para. 6.20. 278. As discussed during the ODIHR/PRI regional consultation with prison administrators and staff on 19 and 20 April 2017 in Warsaw, Poland. 279. 2nd General Report on the CPT’s activities, op. cit., note 79, para. 121. 280. Global Prison Trends 2017, Penal Reform International and Thailand Institute of Justice, May 2017. Guidance document on the Nelson Mandela Rules