PRISONS 3 – PRISONS The Joint Commission visited two prisons in the period under review. The statements submitted by the Ministry of Justice of Thuringia following two visits in 2012 are also included below. a telephone and internet access. Prisoners are offered this package at EUR 14.95 a month. They can use the system to make telephone calls from their cell to previously checked and enabled numbers. They can also send emails, after they have been checked for content, to enabled addresses. The project gives prisoners access to enabled websites, for example that of the Federal Employment Agency, and gives them the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the internet. Finally, the Joint Commission took positive note of the cleanliness of the entire prison. 3.1 – VISIT TO TONNA PRISON IN 2012 The Joint Commission visited Tonna Prison on 7 November 2012. Tonna Prison is responsible for adult male offenders serving their first sentence of more than five years and those serving regular sentences of more than two years and six months up to life imprisonment, as well as for male remand detainees over the age of 21. It also has an open wing. The Joint Commission inspected a penal detention wing, including sanitary facilities, the admissions area, the visiting area, the yard, the depository, specially secured rooms containing no dangerous objects, “plain detention cells” (Schlichthafträume) and residential groups. It held meetings with the head of the institution, with staff in various wings, staff council representatives, representatives of the prisoner council and two prisoners. The prison has a roll of 589. On the day of the visit it had an occupancy of 522 prisoners. The closed wing is spread across six blocks which can each hold a maximum of 90 prisoners, split into residential groups comprising 17 prisoners each. Each residential group has a large common room with a kitchen and television. 3.1.2 – Recommendations of the Joint Commission and response of the Ministry of Justice of Thuringia The prison has so-called “plain detention cells”, in which the furniture is secured to the floor and the sanitary facilities are made of stainless steel. The plain detention cells the Joint Commission inspected on the ground floor of the housing blocks had windows fitted with frosted glass. This not only stops people looking in, it also stops natural daylight getting in. According to the head of the institution, these windows had been fitted because a path runs past the rooms on the ground floor. The aim was to prevent prisoners inside contacting others outside. The Joint Commission is of the opinion that a prisoner must be able to see out the window. It recommends removing the frosted glass. The head of the institution plans to replace the windows with oneway glass. Response: The frosted glass windows have been replaced by plexiglass which allows those inside to see out the windows. The suggestion that a window film be fitted to prevent anyone looking into the cell has also be taken up. As regards the use of the plain detention cells, the head of the institution stated that they were used to enforce both special precautionary measures pursuant to sections 88 (2), nos 1 and 3 and measures pursuant to section 17 (3) of the Prison Act. In contrast to disciplinary detention cells (Arresträume), the law does not contain any regulations on the use of these plain detention cells. The Joint Commission is therefore of the opinion that placement in such plain detention cells must be very carefully considered. Particularly in view of the lack of definition by law and the various measures which are enforced in these plain detention cells, the conditions for their use must be clearly determined. In order to prevent legal uncertainty 3.1.1 – Positive findings The residential groups have dedicated employees. This promotes a good atmosphere between prisoners and prison staff, which prisoners and representatives of the prisoner council confirmed in their meetings with the Joint Commission; both stressed the good atmosphere. The long unlocking times are also noteworthy (e.g., on weekdays for non-workers: 6.30–6.50 am, 11.45 am–12.30 pm and 4–9 pm). This enables prisoners to choose themselves when they wish to take a shower. The showers in the prison are fitted with a lockable cubicle, allowing prisoners to shower in private if they wish to do so for religious or personal reasons. One project which was in its test phase during the visit to Tonna Prison is also worthy of note. The project is called “multio”, and is a communication system for prisoners which combines 50 TV stations, 78