Access to written and broadcast media Prisoners shall be kept informed regularly of ... items of news by reading newspapers... by hearing wireless transmissions ... or by any similar means (SMR Rule 39) This requirement, again, is particularly important when the prisoner is held in prolonged solitary confinement with little access to the outside world. Knowledge of, and interest in, current and community affairs will not only assist the prisoner’s eventual transition back to life as a free member of society, but may also have a positive effect on his mental wellbeing during his time in isolation. For these reasons, it is also recommended that, so far as possible, prisoners held in solitary confinement, particularly for prolonged periods, have television sets and radios in their cells. Impoverished regimes: country examples The main component of solitary confinement regimes, of course, is that the detainee or prisoner is held alone in their cell for up to 24 hours a day. The specific provisions which prisoners are entitled to whilst in segregation, and the degree and level of contact that they have with the outside world, however, varies from one jurisdiction to another. As noted earlier, in addition to ‘regular’ segregation units, some jurisdictions now also operate regimes specifically designed to place further restrictions on certain categories of prisoners who are in solitary confinement. Some examples of such regimes are set out below. Impoverished solitary confinement regimes: case studies Italy Prisoners may be placed in solitary confinement for the duration of their sentence under a ‘special regime’ for reasons of public order and security, in particular offences relating to Mafia activities. They are held in single cells and allowed to mingle with between three to five others during exercise period. Some of the additional measures which may be applied under this regime, at the discretion of prison staff, include: • • • • • • • • • • A ban on visits by persons other than family members, a cohabitant or a lawyer; A maximum of one family visit lasting one hour each month; No access to a telephone or a maximum of one telephone call per month; Censorship of all correspondence except for privileged correspondence; No more than two hours per day to be spent outdoors; No extra visits allowed for good conduct; No more than two parcels per month; No sums of money to be received from outside prison or sent out; No handicrafts; No conversation or correspondence with other prisoners. Sourcebook on solitary confinement: Design, physical conditions and regime in solitary confinement units 47