National Preventive Mechanism Sixth Annual Report 2014–15 In one women’s prison, which was not included in this review, inspectors previously noted that there was no formal segregation unit and the small number of women who were subject to formal punishment served this on the units in their own cell. Although oversight of this arrangement did need to be improved, it was viewed as an improvement on the use of segregation units normally seen in women’s prisons.60 The dramatic increase in the number of lockdowns because of staff shortages in one Northern Ireland prison at the end of 2014 might also have increased the instances of isolation at the time.61 Case study: solitary confinement of unemployed prisoners On an inspection of a large, overcrowded local prison holding over 1,600 men, inspectors found around 600 prisoners on normal location were unemployed. Many of these men received around only one hour out of their cell each day due to a regime that had been severely affected by staff shortages. Those on the basic regime received exercise for half an hour a day. If they were unemployed, they were only out of their cells, on association, for about an hour on two days a week. On Sundays, all prisoners received an hour’s exercise, but otherwise were locked in their cells all day unless they wished to attend corporate worship. Unemployed prisoners in general received exercise daily, and otherwise had a ‘showers and domestics’ period, which varied in length between 45 and 90 minutes. Specific issues identified through monitoring Terminology Isolation and/or solitary confinement were a main feature in the specially designated units named above. They were also the defining characteristic of the following practices or terms in specific instances: accommodation in specified conditions; removal from association; confined to room; duty of care. Case study: ‘duty of care’ NPM monitoring discovered a restricted regime in a high security prison known as ‘duty of care’, aimed to protect those at risk of being a victim of retaliatory violence. Prisoners on this informal regime remained on a main wing of the prison, but could only spend 30 minutes a day out of their cell (although unofficially some had more). They could attend visits and corporate worship if escorted. Ten men had been subject to this regime for over a month, five for over two months and one for over seven months. The regime amounted to solitary confinement and had insufficient governance or review. Length of isolation: formal and informal practices There was considerable variation in the length of time prisoners spent isolated. In general, the overall lengths of stay in a separation or segregation unit were shorter than the time some prisoners spent isolated on cellular confinement or informally isolated on a ‘basic’ regime. There were, however, exceptions including in one Northern Ireland 60 HM Inspectorate of Prisons (2013), Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Eastwood Park by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, 11-22 November 2013. 61 Northern Ireland Assembly, Question AQW 41221/11-15. See: http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/questions/ printquestionsummary.aspx?docid=221039 (accessed 14/10/15). 24