criminal sanctions Accessibility in prison • None of the facilities in the prison (e.g. visitor premises) had been installed with induction loops for persons with hearing impairment and there was no portable induction loop available. • The special unit was virtually completely inaccessible for persons who use assistive mobility equipment. • The prison had three cells designated for persons with restricted mobility or those using assistive mobility equipment Two of these cells were inspected and they were identical in furnishings and floor area. The cell and the toilet and shower room were more spacious than in a normal cell. However, the facilities were found to be lacking in several aspects and required improvement. For example, the call button to alert the guard was too high for anyone in a wheelchair. It was also stated that, for prisoners with restricted mobility, an alarm button on the wall is not sufficient, as they must be able to call for assistance in situations when they are unable to access the alarm button (e.g. using a handheld alarm device). The handheld hose on the bidet shower was too short to reach the toilet seat, and it was cumbersome to use as the tap and the basin were far from the toilet seat. The call button in the toilet and shower room was on the rear wall and it could not be reached from the toilet seat. The Deputy-Ombudsman recommended that the Central Administration Unit of the Criminal Sanctions Agency should consider the observations made by the NPM when designing and renovating prisons. The isolation cell at Vantaa Prison is not suited to those with severe disabilities and using physical aids (left). The cells for persons with disabilities are spacious but the alarm button in the toilet was out of reach. Conditions in isolation premises • The isolation cell of the prison was unfurnished, with only a thin mattress on the floor. The isolation cell was also used for the enforcement of the disciplinary measure of solitary confinement. According to law, solitary confinement should not involve any tougher living conditions than normal imprisonment, such as an unfurnished cell in which the prisoner is obliged to sleep on the floor and is not able to 39