Annual Report 2015
institution. Of the fifteen uses of seclusion measures assessed, one of the uses
failed to meet the Argus registration standard, two failed – and three partially failed
– the standard to reduce the use of seclusion measures, while five of the uses failed
or partially failed to meet the standard of seclusion not being solitary confinement.
At two institutions, a seclusion room was put out of service, as it was unsuitable and
unsafe. All institutions had to implement improvement measures and the IGZ will
monitor the progress.
In 2016, the IGZ will assess performance of the provisions of the Psychiatric
Hospitals (Compulsory Admissions) Act in the youth mental healthcare institutions,
the psychiatric wards of general hospitals and the specialist addiction services.
3.
Youths (care and detention)
Juvenile detention centres
Juvenile detention centres accommodate youths aged 12 through 23 placed there
under criminal law for a short or longer stay. These centres execute the custodial
sentences and measures imposed on youths. The purpose of the stay is to prepare
these youths for a return to society without becoming repeat offenders. The IJZ,
IGZ and the Inspectorate VenJ co-monitor the juvenile detention centres as NPM
members. The audits of juvenile detention centres were continued in 2015. These
audits took place within the context of the Juvenile detention centres audit
assessment framework. This assessment framework is based on current national
and international legislation and the actual daily practice. The assessment
framework includes the following aspects:
•
the legal position of the youths;
•
the treatment of the youths;
•
internal security;
•
the protection of society;
•
social rehabilitation;
•
staff and organisation.
These aspects, when taken together, provide a solid picture of the state and course
of affairs in a juvenile detention centre. The Inspectorates find that the institutions,
in general, perform their duties properly. However, they have identified a number of
items to be addressed:
•
involving the information provided by the school in the first perspective plan
within the set term;
•
deployment of the Internal Support Team within an hour, or substantiate why
another response time applies;
•
random instead of systemic intimate searches.
The NPM is of the opinion that systemic intimate searches constitutes inhuman
treatment.27 The Inspectorates have, therefore, recommended that the policy on the
26
Argus data over 2013 and 2014; reports under the Psychiatric Hospitals (Compulsory Admissions) Act
over 2014 and 2015, by number of signals; number of complaints with respect to the Psychiatric Hospitals
(Compulsory Admissions) Act upheld.
19
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