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THE GREEK OMBUDSMAN
achieved in all detention facilities in the country, the NPM considers that it is
imperative to take individual educational needs into account in any decision
to transfer a prisoner.
viii. Availability of entertainment, employment and training
Like schools, opportunities for leisure, employment and vocational training
are challenging gaps that need to be bridged between detention facilities
that provide impressive opportunities and other that provide fewer ones.
Among other things, the NPM points out:
• In the Trikala Detention Facility, the Mental Health Seminars and the
vocational training programmes.
• At the Nea Alikarnassos Detention Facility, the operation of a nursery, a soap factory and a woodworking workshop, as well as cooking
courses.
• In the Nafplio Detention Facility and the Adult Rural Detention Facility of Tiryntha, the collaboration with the Department of Theatre
Studies of the University of Peloponnese.
• At the Patras Detention Facility, the operation of a theatre group in
collaboration with the Municipal Regional Theatre.
• In the Corinth Detention Facility, educational excursions to museums and other cultural sites, but only for juvenile detainees.
In contrast, in spite of availability or lack of suitable facilities, the Chania and
Grevena detention facilities, the Rural Prison of Agias and the Special Juvenile
Detention Facility of Volos lack entertainment and training programmes or
workshops and are limited to gymnastics and sports activities, improvised
or organised in cooperation with local operators, while elsewhere, as in the
Tripolis Detention Facility, no systematic activity is offered.
ix. Transfer to rural detention facilities
The changes made during the last five years to the conditions for transferring
to rural detention facilities were primarily aimed at tackling the overcrowding
of prisoners in other detention facilities. The consequence, however, of the
new regulation was the management of "two-tier" detainees in rural detention facilities and the confusion that this caused to prisoners with regard
to the institution, since this type of prison demonstrates a greater degree
of trust in those being detained in a semi-free living situation, but this does
not necessarily apply to the entire body of prisoners. However, in order to
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