1.4 Visits to prisons, a juvenile prison and a youth detention centre With regard to the reception area the Prison Administration noted that there are actually still some rooms in the prison, which are divided from toilets by a prefabricated wall. The prison will install forced ventilation as soon as the funds are released. According to the report of the Prison Administration in response to the recommendations the toilet tanks in the closed prison unit rooms were repaired within the framework of regular prison workshops and the urgent repairs for the room no.  28, which has suffered water damage, are supposed to be performed by an external contractor, who is at the same time repairing the missing plaster in the common bathroom on the prison ground floor. With regard to the heat waves the Prison Administration answered that the problem was solved by hanging curtains and allowing the inmates to use a fan in every room. The damage to the top foam layer in the isolation room was repaired by an external contractor. With regard to the living conditions in Ig Prison we drew attention to the smell coming from the drains in the toilets of rooms 42/1 and 42/5 and to the fact that the damaged toilet seats in room no. 44 need to be replaced. The Prison Administration answered that the deficiencies were remedied. In the report on the Ig Prison visit we pointed out that the temperature must be constant in accordance with the Recommendations of the Prison Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Space Heating in Prisons and Correctional Home, no. 720-2991/2012-5 of 13 February 2012 in all prison areas and if necessary by providing additional heating of the exposed rooms 42/1–5 or by repairing older worn-out windows. The Prison Administration agreed with the findings of the NPM that the prison did not maintain suitable room temperature, but at the same time believes that the reasons for temperature variation and lower temperature in the prison are in part the old building, old heating appliances, older and worn-out windows and frequent ventilation by inmates (especially in hallways and smoking living areas). It informed us that the prison increased the temperature by 1.5 °C after the visit of the NPM and introduced frequent measuring in the living areas. In terms of work of the closed unit of Dob pri Mirni Prison we pointed out that work should be ensured to all inmates that are capable to perform it and wish to work. The view of the NPM is namely that work contributes to social rehabilitation, positively influences individual’s mental state and brings satisfaction, changes the perception of time, and creates the feeling that a person did something useful. After the visit the Ombudsman read the information on the web page www.zurnal24.si that only 54 convicted persons will be able to work from January 2014, when another company will officially start its business in the JGZ Pohorje public utility institute premises. The answer of the Prison Administration was that the Unit is trying to ensure work to all convicted persons that wish to work. This is why it is trying to provide various options for work in accordance with prison capacities, capacities of local employers and skills of convicted persons. The NPM made the same recommendation to Novo mesto Unit of Maribor Prison. At the same time it recommended considering improving cooperation with JGZ Kozjak public utility institute to the main Maribor Prison and increasing the capabilities of the workshop used by the Unit for work. The Prison Administration assured that it will try to ensure work for as many convicted persons as possible in the future. The NPM discovered that the number of employed Ig Prison inmates in the JGZ Golovec public utility institute decreased by five and therefore recommended that the prison and the Prison Administration strive harder to find employment for all convicted persons and also detainees that wish to work. The NPM discovered that only few detainees were employed in Maribor Prison (two at the time of the visit, three were still waiting to start working) and suggested that the employees encourage inmates to work. We also received information during our visit that JGZ Kozjak is jointly and severally liable for the debts of JGZ Pohorje, which has liquidity problems. This could bring up the question in the future, how to pay wages to employees (including instructors). The NPM therefore recommended to the Prison Administration to examine the suitability of the existing regulatory framework in this area and then, if necessary, to bring the need for its amendment to the attention of the Ministry of Justice. The Prison Administration responded that it is aware of the public utility institutions’ problem and is solving it step-by-step. A call for tenders is currently taking place to sell movable property of JGZ Pohorje related to the industry and to lease immovable property in order to reduce the debt of the public utility institution and to ensure work for inmates. The amendments to decrees on the establishment of public utility institutions are being prepared, which will solve the problem of joint and several liability, and the reorganisation of the existing public utility institutions is taking place. In Novo mesto Unit of Ljubljana Prison we determined that the number of employed convicted persons increased twofold (from five to ten). However, as on our previous visit it was again noted that none of the detainees were employed and therefore recommended that it should be considered, how to ensure work to detainees who wish to work. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2013 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT 85