Section two Focus on detention issues In the cases we identified where detainees had been held for longer than usual periods, the conditions of detention were the same as they would have been for any other detainee. Police cells are unfurnished and have a simple bench in them. They usually have a mattress, pillow and blanket (but often only on request or at night). Most cells have in-cell toilets but only a minority have handwashing facilities. Detainees held for long periods may have to remain in the clothing that they arrived in, although families are sometimes allowed to bring fresh clothes for those detained for longer periods, subject to risk assessment. NPM members find that although alternative clothing is sometimes provided, changes of underwear are only stocked by a minority of suites. One NPM member noted that of eight Border Force custody suites inspected, only two had an outside exercise area. They noted that detainees were often held alone, and that interaction between detainees and staff was mixed. In one case, a detainee had been held for 20 days in a suite with no outside exercise facilities, but staff had made efforts to facilitate telephone calls, obtain books and clothing, and were considerate. Conclusion Policies governing detention in police custody indicate that detainees should be held alone in cells, which mostly has a specific rationale arising from their detention before charging while evidence might be gathered. However, as identified above, in some cases detainees are held for longer than usual periods and ways of offsetting the isolating conditions should be explored. This should include encouraging meaningful interaction between staff and detainees, and facilitating access to showers and exercise yards, visits and reading materials. NPM monitoring also shows that there might be cases where individuals held in police custody could safely interact with others, such as the case involving detainees from the same family held under immigration powers. The possibility that detainees can be held for up to 14 days under terrorism legislation warrants particular attention, given the likelihood of longer than usual periods of isolation, and will be considered by NPM members in future work. Key themes Some themes emerge from the review of practice by NPM members, allowing us to identify broad areas of concern across different types of detention. The evidence provided by NPM members shows that there is inconsistent practice across detention settings. Areas of good practice have been identified, including valuable efforts to reduce the use of isolation and address complex individual cases. The findings show the extent to which practices or regimes in places of detention amount to solitary confinement. Although many of these do not have the main purpose of isolation (e.g. ‘basic’ regimes), the fact that they result in solitary confinement is of concern. The use of diverse terminology to describe practices that isolate detainees could deflect attention from the severe nature of these practices. 45