National Preventive Mechanism Sixth Annual Report 2014–15 In his 2011 report to the UN General Assembly, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture set out his authoritative view that solitary confinement should not be used on children or persons with mental disabilities.51 Methodology The UK NPM agreed common definitions of isolation and solitary confinement as a basis for monitoring. This two-layered definition allowed NPM members to capture both general practice – where prisoners are physically isolated for one of a number of reasons – and practice in its most extreme form, amounting to solitary confinement, regardless of the way the practices were named or whether they were found in facilities designated for the purpose of isolation. NPM working definitions Isolation The physical isolation of individuals who are confined to cells/rooms for disciplinary, protective, preventive or administrative reasons, or who by virtue of the physical environment or regime find themselves largely isolated from others. Restrictions on social contacts and available stimuli are greater than for the general detainee population. Solitary confinement The physical isolation of individuals who are confined to cells/rooms for more than 22 hours a day. Meaningful contact with others is reduced to a minimum and there is a quantitative or qualitative reduction in stimuli. Available stimuli and occasional social contacts are seldom freely chosen, generally monotonous and often not empathetic. NPM members provided responses to a common monitoring template based on their visits and/or databases. The responses from NPM members have been summarised and written up according to types of detention setting as a way of identifying common practices across jurisdictions. The evidence provides a snapshot of findings from NPM members rather than an exhaustive account or comprehensive piece of research. Key themes from all settings are presented at the end. Prisons HMIPS and HMI Prisons examine isolation as part of their regular inspections and contributed evidence to this review from one and 12 inspections respectively.52 CJINI also inspects prisons and reports on segregation, but conducted no relevant inspections during the reporting period. Prisons inspectors review individual prisoners’ files, check minutes of meetings relating to the oversight of isolation, speak to prisoners and staff and observe practices to formulate judgments relating to its use. Criteria and standards for these inspections are published.53 Information from one IMB in England and Wales and the IMBNI Secretariat was also submitted. Background Human rights standards identify that the practice of isolating prisoners can arise as a disciplinary sanction, for the purposes of protection, or as an administrative decision for preventive purposes. Solitary confinement should only be used as a last resort, and in exceptional circumstances. 51 United Nations General Assembly, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture, A/66/268, 5 August 2011. 52 All of these inspections were of men’s prisons. 53 At: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/03/8256/0 and http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/about-ourinspections/inspection-criteria/#.Vbjq9qPsqQA (accessed 14/10/15). 22