Finally, a reminder note 27 was sent to officers on 17th February 2014 in order to raise their
awareness of the liability incumbent upon them in case of failure to comply with their
professional obligations and the principles defined by the code of professional ethics.
4.1.5 Questions concerning detainees’ clothing
The situation of a detainee in the detention centre for illegal immigrants (CRA) of Oissel, who
appeared before the liberty and custody judge dressed in a T-shirt on a winter’s day, was brought
to the attention of the CGLPL. On 4th June the CGLPL questioned the head of the centre to find
out whether, since the initial visit to the CRA in September 2008, measures had been put in place
enabling provision of seasonal clothes to detainees bereft of suitable clothing and not having the
benefit of visits from close relations. Indeed, at the time of the visit, the inspectors had
ascertained that the stock of clothes donated by officials and various associations was very small
and that no steps had been taken to approach bodies possessing stocks for the replacement of
the clothes.
In a letter of 26th September, the office of the Director General of the French national police
force pointed out that, in the course of the summer, a partnership had been entered into with the
local branch of the Secours Populaire, enabling officials from the detention centre for illegal
immigrants to go to the Secours Populaire branch every month, or if necessary more frequently, in
order to collect a batch of clothes.
It would be worthwhile to extend this practice to other detention centres
for illegal immigrants, in order to ensure detainees’ dignity.
4.2
Continuing difficulties identified within the framework of the cases
referred
4.2.1
The cost of telephone calls in prison
In his Opinion of 10th January 2011 concerning the use of telephones by persons deprived of
liberty 28 and the Opinion of 9th May 2014 concerning the situation of foreign detainees 29, the
Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté emphasised the high cost of telephone calls. Indeed,
according to the contract entered into with the SAGI Company, the cost of communications in
prison is established by reference to the Orange public phone rate 30.
Moreover, it emerged from testimonies sent to the CGLPL that the costs
arising from the playing of the pre-recorded message, informing persons
communicating with prisoners that their conversations may be monitored,
recorded or interrupted 31, were payable by the prisoners.
In 2011, the CGLPL requested observations from the director of the prisons
administration department (DAP) with regard to this difficulty. Following exchanges with the
service provider, the DAP announced that separation of the pre-recorded message from the
telephone conversation was technically complicated and therefore expensive to organise.
27
Two previous EMS3 notes of 5th November 2010 and 23rd January 2012 were issued in order to raise awareness
among officers of security measures that they need to take when using social networking services.
28
Point 7
29
Point 9
30
Prisons administration note of 29th January 2010
31
Notification provided for under article R. 727-1 of the Code of criminal procedure.
37
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