1.4 Visits to prisons, a juvenile prison and a youth detention centre The visit to Radeče Correctional Facility Although there were more minors accommodated on our visit to Radeče Correctional Facility than during our previous visit, it is encouraging that the correctional home is not overcrowded. We discovered that the space layout of the special educational group remained the same. The NPM recommended regular cleaning, airing and repairing of the rooms, dedicated to this educational group, even though some are not used and do not accommodate minors. The NPM particularly commended the tidiness of the open unit area and the section housing female minors. On the other hand the NPM expressed its expectations in relation to the gymnasium that it will be renovated as soon as possible. It should have been renovated in accordance with its previous recommendation. Even though minors were not working during our visit, the NPM inspected the workshops, discovered that the walls of the dressing rooms are dirty and recommended that Radeče Correctional Home Management or mentors in workshops encourage minors to take better care of all Radeče Correctional Facility rooms, especially those which were recently renovated. On our visit the minors pointed out that judicial police officers (in absence of other employees) can temporary accommodate minors in the rooms of the special educational group without any prior official decision. The NPM regarded the issue of “temporary” transfer of minors without appropriate decision to the rooms of the special educational group with the status of “solitary confinement” as possibly questionable, since the living conditions differ from conditions in the main groups, if nothing else. However, this still means a confinement of the minor. A minor can only be transferred to the rooms of the special educational group if certain conditions are met and if related decision has been served. The NPM therefore believes that a minor should not be “temporary” transferred to special educational group if he/ she did not commit any violation which would serve as a basis for the transfer. Radeče Correctional Facility must ensure other, but still appropriate accommodation to the minor, in order to avoid further conflict. The NPM commended the employees’ efforts to enable minors numerous different leisure activities (also outside Radeče Correctional Facility), because they have a positive influence on their re-education. During the visit it was determined that only female educationalists are employed in the education service, therefore the NPM suggested considering employing a male educationalist in the educational service in the future. Furthermore, the NPM discovered that not all classified posts have been filled and that a volunteer educationalist has been working in the education service (as a volunteer trainee) for a longer time period, therefore the NPM recommended the examination of possibilities for her employment. In addition, the NPM commended the individual work programmes, since minors did not raise any related complaints. The NPM also commended the practice of signing the therapeutic programmes by the minors. When reviewing the individual files of the minors the NPM considered them illustrative, containing all necessary data and documents, and commended them. However, during this visit the NPM requested information on the reasons, why the group work programme has been significantly reduced compared to the previous period, or an explanation. Upon employees’ request for regular supervision the NPM recommended the examination of possibilities of resumed implementation of supervision for employees in the educational service. The NPM also recommended that the minors and employees in the education service be given an opportunity to engage in the so called experiential education and learning. The number of judicial police officers has not changed since the previous visit, but the same complaints were raised as during previous visits about the attitude of judicial police officers to minors (including the complaints about their informality when addressing minors). The NPM therefore recommended that the judicial police officers be alerted to appropriate, correct and respectful attitude towards minors. Perhaps it could be useful to organize monthly group meetings for judicial police officers to relieve them of their burden or other forms of meetings to address these issues. The NPM pointed out that during its visit no excessive use of coercive measures was discovered which would adversely affect the rights of minors when violating House Rules or discipline. However, the NPM sensed greater tension among minors and also in relation to employees; therefore it expressed its expectations that a planned lecture of the Society for Non-violent Communication for judicial police officers will be held. In this way judicial police officers will acquire knowledge of this subject and perhaps contribute to reducing tension in Radeče Correctional Facility. 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 93