mental problems with a professional activity to occupy their time. The prisoners selected
in the ESAT find it difficult to access the conventional job market because of their
disability, and feel very isolated for the most part; this initiative gives them the
opportunity to return to work by undertaking simple tasks. Moreover, it meets a genuine
therapeutic need within this institution, where reportedly almost a third of its prisoners
present a mental disability and whose ability to work is less than a third of that of a nondisabled worker.
The Chief Inspector also delegated two inspectors to verify the physical detention
conditions within the disciplinary and solitary confinement wings of the Villenauxe -la-Grande
detention centre. They found multiple violations of prisoners' rights in these wings, stemming from
the physical detention conditions and the treatment of the prisoners. In their report, the inspectors
highlighted the insufficient lighting in the cells of both these wings, the shortcomings in terms of
the equipment and fitting out of the wings' exercise yards, the lack of any dedicated team within
these specific wings, the few activities on offer and the dilapidated state of the washing facilities of
cells in the disciplinary wing. The creation of a wing for vulnerable people was commended as a
positive initiative to limit the number of so-called "vulnerable" prisoners being placed in the solitary
confinement wing.
Building on the work in progress on the theme of the treatment of elderly or disabled
prisoners, the Chief Inspector also delegated three inspectors to visit an institution that had set up
a service project particularly developing a range of activities designed for elderly people or people
with mobility problems. Despite the interest in the project, major difficulties were found to persist,
such as laborious inter-service dialogue, the specific needs brought about by daily management and
release planning for this specific group of prisoners.
Lastly, the Chief Inspector conducted on-site investigations regarding two specific
situations, under the following conditions:
-
difficulties reported concerning a disabled person's access to the visiting rooms: on this
occasion, the wife of a prisoner detained in the Privas remand prison: requirement to
remove shoewear at regular intervals and to pass through the millimetre wave scanner
without a walking stick or assistance during visits to the visiting rooms. The
conversations held with the management prior to the on-site verification had not
brought any convincing arguments to light; the management simply asserted that the
situation of the person in question did not pose any particular difficulty. What is more,
after contacting the management of the remand prison, the Chief Inspector was
informed that the prisoner in question had apparently been summoned by the institution
director, who reprimanded him particularly for having got the CGLPL involved.
Following these on-site verifications, recommendations were made regarding
disabled people's access to the institution (clear service memo on the use of
the metal detector, presence of assistance for walking through the scanner,
installation of a seat after the scanner if the person needs to be kept waiting).
Recommendations also concerned the practice entailing receiving someone to
talk about CGLPL case referrals. A reminder was given that anyone deprived
of liberty may freely reach out to the Chief Inspector, without fear of
punishment, reprimands or any deterioration in his or her detention
conditions; the position of authority that an institution director or his or her
colleagues exercise over a prisoner is likely to give rise to such fears.
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situation of a woman in temporary detention, under terrorist prison conditions, who
gave birth in an extremely strained atmosphere, including between the medical and
85
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