Places visited by the National Preventive Mechanism in 2011
The National Preventive Mechanism recommended:
• Determining the purpose of patient’s rooms, as well as of transition and isolation
rooms, and furnishing them in line with the assigned purpose;
• Adjusting the isolation room to the requirements laid down in the Ordinance of
22 February 2011 on detailed conditions and method of using coercive measures
with respect to juveniles in juvenile detention centres, juvenile shelters, youth
care centres and youth sociotherapy centres200;
• Adjusting the transition rooms to the requirements laid down in the Ordinance of
17 October 2001 on juvenile detention centres and juvenile shelters201;
• Furnishing shower cubicles and toilets with curtains or doors ensuring intimacy
of users;
• Adjusting the establishments to the needs of disabled persons.
f) Staff
In the opinion of the National Preventive Mechanism, the staff selection criteria used
in juvenile detention centres and juvenile shelters are of utmost importance for ensuring appropriate treatment of juveniles. The participation of pedagogical staff in additional
trainings, extending their knowledge in various feilds and peaceful cooperation, also reduce the probability of ill-treatment of juveniles.
All employees having direct contact with juveniles in the visited establishments had
completed appropriate specialist education. They participated in numerous trainings upgrading their professional qualifications. The need for additional training was particularly
visible in JDT in Nowe. In the opinion of the National Preventive Mechanism, the staff
of the establishment should undergo training on the protection of the rights of the
child in international and national law, as stated in Rule 85 of the United Nations Rules
for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty202: the personnel should receive such
training as will enable them to carry out their responsibilities effectively, in particular training in child psychology, child welfare and international standards and norms of human rights
and the rights of the child, including the present rules.
From an analysis of gender balance of the staff in visited establishments it appears that
the majority of staff are men. However, women also directly participated in teaching and
educational activities in the establishments. The only establishment with male tutors only
was Juvenile Shelter in Chojnice. The director of the Shelter explained that this situation
was motivated by inability to ensure safety for women at the establishment.
According to the CPT, mixed gender staffing is another safeguard against ill-treatment
in places of detention, in particular where juveniles are concerned. The presence of both
200
201
202
Dz.U. of 2011 No 48, item 248.
Dz. U. of 2001, No 124, item 1359, as amended.
UN General Assembly Resolution 45/113.
111
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