of a tranquiliser to a patient firmly held down on their bed by several police officers. They declared that they are very unhappy to experience this type of situation. These situations, discovered in the course of inspections and clearly inappropriate, sometimes lead prisoners to refuse to be taken out of prison because of the harsher conditions imposed upon them in secure rooms, which it should be recalled are first and foremost places of medical treatment. 1.2 A Disciplinary Regime with Poorly-Defined Contours in Detention Centres for Illegal Immigrants Virtually all of the detention centres for illegal immigrants (CRA) inspected possess one or several rooms, which are referred to in a variety of different manners: solitary confinement room, exclusion room, secure room. This uncertainty with regard to the name of these places is indicative of transgressions ascertained with regard to the allocated role and use thereof. Finally, this situation shows that, although use of these rooms is often limited, both in duration and volume, it nevertheless remains on the edge of legality. 1.2.1 Places of Exclusion and Surveillance thereof Almost all of the centres inspected have rooms of this kind. In cases where they do not formally exist, this is because another area fulfils their role. In one case, one of the exercise yards fulfils this role: “The yard looks similar to the punishment wing of a prison (covered with wire mesh above, concrete, tarmac). Its dimensions are however much larger”. The inspection report for this CRA notes that: “It would be desirable for the yard intended for exercise by persons in detention to be laid out in such a manner as to fulfil its role and without having the appearance of a punishment area”. Elsewhere, persons subject to exclusion measures were taken to custody facilities at the police station where they were kept under the surveillance of police staff. The ten CRAs inspected in the 2011-2012 period, have rooms presenting various different characteristics (surface area, furnishings, layout of facilities etc.), in the absence of established norms. They are sometimes located outside of the accommodation area, in close proximity to the guard-room, with security doors and peepholes, which are only lockable from the outside. They are cramped, comfortless, painted in dark colours with inefficient lighting and bear a strong resemblance to prison punishment cells. One of the characteristics of these rooms is that they are often placed under video surveillance, cameras with metal protective covers being positioned in corners between wall and ceiling, in front of the bed. Alongside these cameras, also with protective metal covers, are positioned image intensifiers, which allow cameras to function even when ceiling lights are switched off. This surveillance still does not allow the privacy of persons who are placed there to be protected, despite the fact that certain changes were noted at the time of follow-up visits. The permanent presence of an officer nearby persons placed in solitary confinement, or the existence of frequent patrols, remains exceptional. 1.2.2 Traceability of Placement in Solitary Confinement 106