Correctional institutions 2.5 Correctional institutions 2.5.1 Introduction The NPM visited 29 facilities of the penitentiary system and facilities for the detention of mentally ill offenders in the year under review. Conscious reduction The reduction in this figure by about a quarter compared to the previous year is attributable to the decision to carry out fewer on-site visits during the lockdown. The NPM wanted to minimise the risk of carrying the virus into institutions on the one hand. On the other, the visit planning took the tight staff situation in the correctional institutions into consideration, which was a result of the change to shift operation. Predefined topics On the monitoring visits, the multiple restrictions that equally affected both the officers and the prisoners and how these were dealt with were documented. Observations and points of criticism on this topic are presented in chapter 2.5.2. The commissions, however, did not limit themselves to the effects on health policy in the institutions during the pandemic. They also observed and documented issues covered in the monitoring priorities and addressed weakness – most of which were already known – as a matter of routine. Observations made on a large-scale raid are reported in chapter 2.5.3. It was the first targeted campaign in a correctional institution to be attended by the NPM. Chapters 2.5.4 to 2.5.9 catch up with topics from the previous year. It became evident that body searches with disrobement continue to be carried out with grounds for objection. Nothing has changed in the deficient structures in the acute psychiatric care of inmates either. The conditions in the public hospitals are highlighted in the last chapter “Detention of mentally ill offenders”. Due to the coronavirus, the dialogue with the general directorate and the prison wardens had to be cancelled. Both should be taken up again as soon as the public health situation permits. Training and international contacts 101 Whereas all of the teaching units for new prison guards could be held in classrooms, international contacts could only be maintained online. The NPM took part in several events that were organised by the APT and SPT dealing with conducting monitoring visits during a pandemic. Several conferences should also be mentioned that were held by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights or took place within the framework of the SEE Network in Croatia and Serbia.