34 Gender and Security Toolkit Some prisons have introduced a “first-night centre” with specially trained staff available to reduce stress as far as possible, so that new prisoners are kept separate from the rest of the population for the first night, when people often feel suicidal. See Box 10 for a slightly different model used in Albania. See Mandela Rules, Rule 24. Box 10: Waiting commission and positive environment in Albanian places of deprivation of liberty In both pre-trial and prison settings, a “waiting commission” admissions team determines the needs of each detainee or prisoner. The policy is applied to women and men, but is more thorough for female prisoners. This multidisciplinary admissions committee is made up of a psychologist, social worker, medical doctor and security representative, with each writing a plan for the individual’s welfare, highlighting signs of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. Ali Demi women’s prison is set within an old military barracks, yet it has been transformed into an attractive low-security prison with a village-like atmosphere. There are green spaces and, as it is a low-security facility, the doors are never locked. The compound is decorated tastefully and with colour, and the women can decorate their dormitories and the communal spaces with self-made furnishings and pictures. There is also a counselling room, a dining room and a library with computers and space for studying. Source: T. Rytter, J. Baker and Dignity (Danish Institute against Torture) (2014) “Conditions for women in detention: Needs, vulnerabilities and good practices”, Copenhagen: Dignity. Housing units that support relationships and promote a positive sense of self Smaller houses that facilitate supportive relationships are preferable, and multilevel units should be avoided. Large dayrooms should be broken up into smaller groupings, either by initial design or by subsequent arrangement of furniture. Where facilities are harsh and distressing, they can limit the recovery and affect the mental stability of those being held there. Such settings can perpetuate and aggravate existing mental health conditions and “heighten vulnerability and increase the risk of self-harm and suicide”.7 Accommodation should feel as normal as possible. Natural light, colour, sound-attenuating materials, carpeting, upholstery, moveable furniture, wooden doors, texture and even houseplants are some of the physical characteristics of normative design which do not require large amounts of resources and can be cheaper than usual prison design. Outside spaces should feel calming and facilitate regular unstructured reflection time by being placed close to the housing unit. Larger outdoor areas should have some greenery, and should be able to accommodate active and relaxed recreational activities and exercise. Pre-trial detention and initial contact Pre-trial detention can be a particular time of risk. The institutions which detain people while they are waiting for trial and before they have been found guilty differ between countries. Some countries have specific facilities, such as remand centres or jails; some use detention at police facilities; and in others detainees are held in the same buildings or even the same cells or dormitories as convicted prisoners. In comparison to those who have been convicted, people held in pre-trial detention often experience worse conditions and treatment. “Torture, overcrowding, and disease are rampant. Even in developed countries, so few resources are dedicated to pretrial detention that access to food, healthcare, a bed, or exercise is severely constrained.”8 Pre-trial detainees are also less likely to be segregated by age and gender, leading to greater risk of harm.9