Annual Report 2014 of the National Preventive Mechanism prevention plan; the final approval of the internal system and operating regulation of these centres, which contemplate many of the Recommendations made by the NPM over these years or improvements in essential aspects of the day-to-day of the inmates, such as the installation of items that facilitate their hygiene or the acquisition of leisure material. 49. At CP we have observed greater control by the SGIP of the application of coercive methods and application of article 75 of the Penitentiary Regulation; the review of the protocols of action to improve medical participation in the application of mechanical restraint measures at the CP of Catalonia; the preparation of a protocol of radiological tests as a measure of control at CP answerable to the SGIP; improvements in the suicide prevention program or improvements observed in the organisation of healthcare. 50. At many reform centres for juvenile offenders the systems for the submission of complaints and requests have been perfected; the preparation of protocols for simultaneous use of systems of contention and the creation of records of the application of such means have increased; the number of centres applying suicide prevention programs has increased; the communication with lawyers of minors on the resolution of disciplinary proceedings or the communication of the negative or positive results of personal searches or searches of rooms and belongings of minors, to the court authority, have improved. 51. At the residential establishments providing healthcare, social and/or rehabilitation services, we have observed an improvement in the legal safeguards of non-voluntary internments; the preparation of internal regulations; improvements in the complaint procedures of the inmates; improvements in the application of the protocols for contention or advances in the promotion of independence and active participation of the inmates. 52. Notwithstanding these improvements, those of a more specific nature observed at the visited facilities are set out in the relevant tables of the annual reports of the NPM published to date and, as regards this year, those shown in Annex VIII to this report. 53. Despite the above, the NPM observes that a margin for improvement continues to exist to further progress in strengthening the fundamental safeguards of those deprived of liberty and it thus recommends that the following general policies be observed: 54. The Criminal Code should be amended to include in the subjective scope of the crime of torture, contemplated in article 174, «any other person in the discharge of public functions» other than public authorities and officers, and to provide a statutory definition of the fact that torture is carried out for the purpose of «intimidating or coercing that person or others», as has been requested by various UN Committees and Rapporteurs. 38

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents