its report on staff27 in places of deprivation of liberty that best endeavours, including legislative
measures, must be made to end this serious failing of public juvenile detention centres.
The necessary amendments to the law must be made to guarantee the presence of stable, trained
youth workers alongside young offenders placed in juvenile detention centres.
Several recommendations bore on the physical aspects of their care (hygiene, living
environment, diet, etc.). According to the information provided by the Minister of Justice, recruitment
of a housekeeper, an educational project associated with the living environment and audits on catering
have improved the situation.
The CGLPL had recommended that rules governing daily routines in the institution (hygiene,
smoking) and responses to incidents systematically comply with their stipulating rule and be applied in
an identical fashion by all youth workers. The Minister of Justice indicates that although hygiene and
smoking are now the subject of suitable measures, similar application of disciplinary rules by
professionals "still appears difficult despite vigilance on the part of management". The CGLPL finds
that this difficulty is not specific to the Saint-Pierre du Mont juvenile detention centre, and there seem
to be two relevant solutions: stabilising staff (see the paragraph above) and specifically raising
awareness of the need to apply disciplinary measures in an objective and predictable manner.
Set up measures to raise the awareness of juvenile detention centre staff on the need for
objective and predictable application of disciplinary rules.
The CGLPL had recommended that the quality of provision monitoring in writing (i.e.
keeping individual provision files) be improved. An audit was carried out on this point in 2016 and
monitoring is now in place.
It has also recommended providing schooling for young offenders through a secondary
school, so that they are able to participate in normal schooling. Gradual reintegration in schooling is
being set up.
Finally, it recommended that minors benefit from access to psychiatric treatment. A protocol
has been signed along these lines but is not operational because of a shortage of health workers. This
situation is a problem in other centres too, and must give rise to a protocol with monitoring at
regional or even national level, since its resolution does not appear to be possible by juvenile
detention centre directors alone.
Organise psychiatric care for young offenders placed in juvenile detention centres at regional
(local judicial youth protection service directorate-regional health agency) or national level.
5.2.3 La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin Juvenile Detention Centre (Loiret)
The CGLPL had recommended several measures on recruitment, training and supervision of staff.
The Minister of Justice maintains that staff recruitment has improved, that a new director and new
head of the educational team have been appointed, that a training plan has been set up and analysis of
practices has been integrated within the institution to secure provision for young professionals. The
CGLPL duly notes these measures, which are certainly appropriate, but the real impact of which may
only be assessed during a future inspection.
The CGLPL had also recommended a series of improvements in educational provision and its
monitoring. Although, going by the information provided by the Minister of Justice, the necessary
monitoring tools have been set up with support from the local judicial youth protection service
directorate, provision is still undermined by the persisting absence of any teacher. It would appear
27
CGLPL, Staff in places of deprivation of liberty, 2017, p. 27.
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