50 NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN National Preventive Mechanism against Torture and Ill-Treatment ANNUAL REPORT 2015 Suicide prevention Tønsberg Police Custody After a visit in October 2014, the Ombudsman recommended that the police, together with the Correctional Services, should carry out a review of the procedures for ensuring information flow and cooperation during the transfer of vulnerable (including suicidal) detainees to prison. The recommendation was made after a detainee at the custody facility committed suicide shortly after being transferred to Ringerike Prison. ›› ››The police informed the Ombudsman that a multiple-choice form will be devised for determining the state of detainees to be imprisoned. This form will include information about whether the detainee has seen a doctor during their stay, how they appeared during the stay and other relevant information. Ringerike Prison After a visit in January 2015, the Ombudsman recommended that the prison devise procedures for ensuring that information is picked up about matters affecting the risk of suicide. This included devising a form for registering new inmates that includes questions about suicidal thoughts. It was also recommended that the prison focus on training and competence-raising among its staff. ›› ››Ringerike Prison has prepared a form that contains direct questions for new inmates about their mental health and suicide risk. A meeting has also been held between the Correctional Services’ southern Norway region and selected prisons and police districts to improve the exchange of information between police custody facilities, the prosecuting authority, sentence offices and prisons. The prison has also applied for funding to send staff on a suicide prevention course, and staff working in the admission and registration section will be prioritised. The prison will also train its own staff to become instructors during autumn 2015. The conditions for women in prison Trondheim Prison After a visit in March 2015, the Ombudsman questioned whether men and women were treated equally in the prison. For example, women were not offered the same alcohol and drug treatment as men. Nor were women allowed to use the exercise yard with sports facilities. ›› ››After the NPM’s visit, Trondheim Prison has ensured that female inmates are offered alcohol and drug treatment equivalent to that offered to men serving sentences at the prison’s unit for mastering drug/ alcohol problems. Women are offered the treatment in the women’s unit. Women have also been given access to the large exercise yard. .