3.2
Private and family life and relations with the outside world
3.2.1 Right to privacy
The CGLPL had recommended building and more widely rolling out family living units.
The Minister of Justice points out that, at the end of 2017, 80 institutions had family living
units (UVF) and family visiting rooms (PF) and that, from 2018 to 2022, these units and rooms were
set to open in 6 existing sentencing institutions and 3 remand prisons as well as 14 new institutions.
The CGLPL acknowledges this investment and asks that it be continued.
Push on with building family living units and family visiting rooms to ensure they are rolled out
on a broad-scale.
The CGLPL had also recommended guaranteeing free access to condoms within health units
as well as within family living units and family visiting rooms.
The Minister of Justice describes measures taken along these lines. The CGLPL duly notes
this point.
Lastly, the CGLPL had recommended increasing dress tolerance to bring it into line with the
standard criteria on the outside.
The Minister of Justice does not wish to honour this recommendation on security grounds
(risk of confusion with staff uniforms, risk of dissimulation, etc.).
The CGLPL duly notes this response and recommends that restrictions be strictly proportionate
to the grounds on which they are taken.
3.2.2 Right to maintain family ties
The CGLPL had recommended a range of measures aimed at encouraging the exercise of parental
responsibility:
-
inform detained parents from the start of their prison sentence of their rights and
duties as regards their children, and assist them in the steps they need to take to
uphold their rights and duties;
-
enable access to digital booklets via secure Internet access;
-
enable easier access for imprisoned parents to catalogues for buying gifts for their
children;
-
adapt the frequency, locations and duration of sessions between the imprisoned parent
and his/her child, together with the assisting party.
The Minister of Labour claims that measures are being taken to promote family visiting rooms
for imprisoned parents with their children, improve the quality of meeting areas or organise
"complimentary canteens". She also clarifies that the prison rehabilitation and probation services
provide information and guidance for prisoners supervised in their parenting-related procedures. On a
final note, she mentions that "PCs can already provide access to websites in a controlled and limited
fashion", without providing any figures.
These measures are no different from those that already existed when the CGLPL had
considered it pertinent to issue its recommendations, which are therefore upheld.
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