Correctional institutions The Federal Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, Reforms, Deregulation and Justice took up this recommendation and installed a working group, which is currently working on relevant specialised aspects including the requirements of the penal system. Completion of the work is expected in 2020. XX  Psychotherapists who are deployed in prisons should have special qualifications. The definition of the criteria according to which they are selected should apply nationwide. Therapeutic care of detainees with poor German language skills Sonnberg correctional institution On a visit to Sonnberg correctional institution, the NPM focussed on the treatment and therapy programmes for first-time offenders. It learned that the treatment and therapeutic care of first-time offenders among the monitored detainees – at least, those with medium-term sentences – took place promptly after their transfer. Treatment plans and a differentiated therapeutic programme deal with the specific problems of the detainees directly. Few places on language courses The therapeutic care of detainees with poor German-speaking skills and a medium-term sentence transpired to be a weakness, however. A lack of places means that a quick allocation to a German language course is not possible. The certified German course can only be offered for 15 participants whereby detainees with therapeutic needs are given preference. It is also possible to lean the German language in a so-called learning centre; this is a training room that is accessible to detainees in their leisure time. This programme, however, requires a high level of initiative and discipline and is regrettably not well frequented. Therapists with foreign language skills are rare As the Federal Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, Reforms, Deregulation and Justice explains, there are very few forensic therapists in Austria with proficiency in foreign languages. Sonnberg correctional institution offers therapies in German and English. There is a Turkish-speaking forensic therapist in Stein correctional institution. A Greek-speaking forensic therapist can be engaged if required. Specific conversational situations In addition, group therapy is preferred to individual therapy in forensic therapy. The use of video interpreters is not possible within the group therapy framework. It must be noted that the use of video interpreters in individual therapies is viewed critically for financial reasons and, above all, on ethical grounds (relationship of confidence between therapist and client). Sonnberg correctional institution goes to great pains, however, to find an adequate solution in every case. 123