4 PEOPLE DEPRIVED OF THEIR LIBERT Y BELONGING TO AN AT-RISK GROUP IN C ASES OF INFEC TION and Probation Service’s measure unfortunately resulted in inmates refusing to be differentiated from other inmates, despite the fact that the agency had made the assessment that a need for this existed. As a result, these inmates have received less protection than inmates in a similar situation who are placed in other prisons. This is serious and I am critical of how the Prison and Probation Service has handled this situation. “ In the opinion of Parliamentary Ombudsman Katarina Påhlsson, the Prison and Probation Service needs to take immediate measures to ensure that inmates belonging to an at-risk group are given the chance to stay in a department in the security class in which they are usually placed but separate from other inmates who do not belong to an at-risk group. The National Board of Institutional Care It is not uncommon for people who receive care under the Care of Abusers Act to be in poor physical condition and suffer from various illnesses caused by long-term addiction. There is a risk that these people will be severely affected by Covid-19 infection. At the inspection of the special residential home for substance abusers Hornö, it emerged that staff had knowledge of which people belonged to an at-risk group. However, these people stayed together with the others. Prior to the final dialogue meeting with the management of the National Board of Institutional Care, the agency was asked how many residents as of 1 June 2020 belonged to an at-risk group. In its response, the National Board of Institutional Care stated that it could not answer the question as it did not have the full knowledge of all its residents’ possible somatic diseases. At the closing dialogue meeting, the management of the National Board of Institutional Care stated that people who suffer from alcohol dementia or other dementia conditions, liver, kidney or heart failure or who have problems with the trachea are usually placed in the special residential home for substance abusers Östfora, or in the in departments in Ekebylund in the special residential home for substance abusers Rebecka/Ekebylund. This placement routine was not introduced due to Covid-19. Further, the management of the National Board of Institutional Care stated that it had not made a complete survey of which residents in youth care might belong to an at-risk group. In his decision, Parliamentary Ombudsman Thomas Norling referred to Parliamentary Ombudsman Katarina Påhlsson’s statement that it appeared difficult for the Prison and Probation Service to protect this at-risk group of inmates in any other way than by differentiating them from other inmates. In the opinion of Parliamentary Ombudsman Thomas Norling, the same reasoning applied regarding residents in homes operated by the National Board of Institutional Care. He then stated the following:6 ”For this reason, the National Board of Institutional Care must immediately remedy the shortcoming resulting in the agency thus far lacking routines for how this group of residents should be protected from Covid-19 infection. I have previously stated that information has emerged of overcrowding at some of the National Board of Institutional Care’s institutions and that it is, therefore, difficult for residents and staff to maintain a physical distance. For 6 See the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s decision of 3 September 2020, ref. no. O 13-2020. – 28 –