VISITS BY THE JOINT COMMISSION tively long periods, and whether disciplinary detention can be avoided, or the disciplinary goal can be achieved, in individual cases, by less severe means. Response: The recommendations gave occasion to ask the Juvenile Institution about its practice in regard to the ordering of disciplinary detention and to raise awareness for the issue. Raßnitz Juvenile Institution orders disciplinary detention responsibly, it applies the principle of proportionality and orders this disciplinary measure only as a last resort. However, offences are committed in everyday prison life, some of which are of a particularly serious nature, and prisoners are sometimes also particularly resistant to sanctions and can not (or no longer) be reached by means of consensual measures, and less severe disciplinary measures no longer induce them to change their behaviour, even when they are repeatedly imposed. In order to be able to appropriately influence deviant prisoners even in these few cases, taking into account the aforementioned principles the facility continues to require that the highest intervention level, i.e. disciplinary detention, be available. Prisoners who do not take part in special measures in the evening are locked in at around 7 pm in their residential groups. The head of the facility primarily justified this on account of the staff shortages. However, especially in view of the purpose of juvenile imprisonment, namely social rehabilitation, it would be desirable for them to spend as much time as possible together with others in the residential group. Response: In the Ministry’s opinion, the targeted, guided supervision of prisoners between the first and second lock-in does not restrict the opportunity for social rehabilitation for the following reason: After the first lock-in at 7.30 pm, staff focus in a targeted fashion on young prisoners, working pedagogically with them in small groups, addressing individual deficits and strengthening their own resources. Since staff are assigned to a specific residential group, the juvenile prisoners can all be incorporated into these treatment measures within a short space of time. Raßnitz Juvenile Institution has only a small number of rental or subsidised TV sets for prisoners. Prisoners who are not able to purchase their own TV set can only watch TV in the common room outside of lock-in times. Particularly when one calls to mind the sometimes long lock-in times, it would be appropriate to give all prisoners the opportunity to have a TV set in their cell as long as there are no special reasons (e.g. strategic considerations concerning a juvenile’s treatment) which speak against this. Rental TVs offer prisoners who have no or only few own resources the opportunity to quickly gain access to a TV set. Prisoners who are unable to work through no fault of their own and who also have insufficient financial resources should be given a subsidised TV. Response: The recommendations have been taken up. It is being examined whether Raßnitz Juvenile Institution can be provided with rental or subsidised TV sets. The house rules and other documents and forms are written in readily comprehensible language. However, they are only available in German; there are plans for English translations to be done. According to the head of the facility, in those few cases in which a detainee does not speak (sufficient) German, an interpreter is called in to translate and explain the content of the relevant documents. Despite the small number of prisoners who speak a foreign language, the Joint Commission suggests translating the house rules into a larger number of those languages which are most commonly spoken by prisoners. The house rules in particular include a list of duties which are important for prisoners and at the same time inform them of their rights. Non-German-speaking prisoners should therefore also be able to understand them. Response: The Ministry is of the opinion that translating the house rules into a larger number of those languages which are most commonly spoken amongst prisoners should be kept in appropriate relation to the small number of nonGerman-speaking prisoners in Saxony-Anhalt and especially in Raßnitz Juvenile Institution. On 30 April 2014 the share of foreign prisoners in prisons in Saxony-Anhalt was 9.01%. On that same date there were a total of 35 foreign prisoners in Raßnitz Juvenile Institution. In the Ministry’s view, it appears appropriate and sufficient to only have the house rules translated into English. For the rest, the Ministry gives the assurance that an interpreter is always called in where insurmountable communication problems arise. 2.2.2 – Positive findings Raßnitz Juvenile Institution opened in 2002. All the buildings and facilities are therefore in very good condition. In particular, the structural concept (blocks of houses organised around a green “market place” with a pond) makes for a pleasant environment. Staff with whom the Joint Commission spoke were also all very committed and had, for instance, individually arranged and decorated some of the blocks with the prisoners. 2.3 – WRIEZEN PRISON, 8 MAY 2014 The Joint Commission visited Wriezen Prison on 8 May 2014. The visiting delegation spoke with the head of the facility, staff in various units, with an external doctor, a psychologist, the chair of the staff council and a prisoner representative. 36