1.4 Visits to prisons, a juvenile prison and a youth detention centre 1.4 Visits to prisons, a juvenile prison and a youth detention centre General section In exercising the duties and powers of the NPM, ten out of the total of fourteen locations where independent internal organisational units of the Prison Administration of the Republic of Slovenia operate (hereinafter referred to as PARS) - General Office of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration (hereinafter referred to as General Office of Ministry of Justice) were visited in 2013. These are prisons or their sub-divisions: Dob pri Mirni Prison - Puščava Open Unit, Ig Prison, Maribor Prison - Rogoza Open Unit, Maribor Prison - Murska Sobota Unit, Dob Prison - Slovenska vas Half-Open Unit, Maribor Prison, Ljubljana Prison - Novo mesto Unit, Koper Prison, Dob pri Mirni Prison - Closed Unit and Radeče Youth Detention Centre. This year we noticed once more that management officers were well informed about the tasks and powers of the NPM, so we were able to carry out our work smoothly. After each visit a report on findings with the recommendations were made by the NPM which was sent to the PARS and a particular prison where supervision was made. The PARS regularly replied to our reports. Over the year of 2013, three of the above mentioned locations where persons are deprived of their liberty were visited by the NPM in spring (Maribor Prison - Rogoza Open Unit on 19 March, Maribor Prison - Murska Sobota Unit on 10 April, and Dob Prison - Slovenska vas Half-Open Unit on 8 May), two prisons were visited in winter (Ig Prison on 29 January and Dob pri Mirni - Puščava Open Unit on 19 February), one prison was visited in summer (Maribor Prison on 17 June), and three were visited in autumn (Dob pri Mirni Prison Closed Unit on 20, 23 and 24 September, Ljubljana Prison - Novo mesto Unit on 18 October and Koper Prison on 6 November). All locations were visited during a different season than when the last visit took place. During all of the above mentioned visits, five representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and three representatives of NGOs took part during the visit (Dob pri Mirni Prison - Closed Unit), three representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and one representative of an NGO (Koper Prison), two representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office (Ljubljana Prison - Novo mesto Unit), four representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and one representative of an NGO (Maribor Prison), three representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and one representative of an NGO (Ig Prison), one representative of the Ombudsman’s Office and one representative of an NGO (Dob pri Mirni Prison - Puščava Open Unit, Dob Prison - Slovenska vas HalfOpen Unit), two representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and one representative of an NGO (Maribor Prison - Murska Sobota Unit), one representative of the Ombudsman’s Office and one representative of an NGO (Maribor Prison - Rogoza Open Unit). The expert under contract responsible for the field of health care participated in three visits: Dob pri Mirni Prison - Closed Unit, Koper Prison and Maribor Prison. It has to be highlighted that representatives of Czech NPM attended the visit of Koper Prison as observers as well. In three fourths of these locations, visits were not announced, and in two cases, they were announced beforehand (Dob pri Mirni Prison - Closed Unit and Koper Prison). The visit of Dob pri Mirni Prison was carried out in two days, whilst the remaining ones lasted for one day. Visits to prisons proceeded mostly under the established order (Maribor Prison - Rogoza Open Unit, Maribor Prison – Murska Sobota Unit, Dob Prison - Slovenska vas Half-Open Unit, Ljubljana Prison - Novo mesto Unit, Koper Prison): after an introductory interview the representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and representatives of one or two NGOs inspected all premises of the Institution, including the auxiliary premises, during examination they held interviews with all prisoners who wished to participate in an interview. After that, they inspected relevant documentation and held an interview with the management officers of the Institution, in some cases (Ig Prison, Maribor Prison) we were divided into two groups of which one group held an introductory interview with the management officers of the Institution and then continued with inspection of particular premises and with interviews with certain prisoners. The second group started inspecting particular premises and held an interview with prisoners who wished to participate in an interview right after arrival into the Institution. In Dob pri Mirni Prison - Closed Unit, we were divided into four groups of two participants after an introductory interview because of the size of the Institution (three pairs of one representative of the Ombudsman’s Office and one representative of particular NGOs and one pair of representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office) and separately inspected accommodation and other rooms of the Institution where detainees are accommodated, and held personal interviews with IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2013 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT 75