Transport and guard unit

Monitoring of one transport of an inmate

Announced visit

Talk with one user

The visit did not give cause for recommendations.

Remand unit

Monitoring of one transport of inmates

Announced visit

Talks with seven users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that the inmates know that it is fully acceptable to make cell calls in order to go to the toilet and that urine bottles are not handed out unless requested
• That management ensure that interpreters are used to the extent necessary, including increased focus on ensuring that the inmate understands what is said during consultations with healthcare staff
• That management ensure that when inmates’ telephone conversations are listened to, the inmates’ conversation partners are informed of this in advance in accordance with Section 57(3), 2^nd sentence of the Sentence Enforcement Act and Section 72(4), 2^nd sentence of the Executive Order on Remand Custody

Prison with open units, closed units (including treatment unit and disciplinary and solitary confinement unit) and remand units

Announced visit

Talks with 44 users

Monitoring of one transport of inmates

Talks with three users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that all security cell reports contain documentation that an assessment of the need for immobilisation of the detainee is made upon initiation and thereafter on an ongoing basis
• That management, in cooperation with nurses and other staff, investigate whether the prison can uncover unreported figures in relation to episodes with violence and threats among inmates
• That management have continued focus on ensuring that staff have a professional tone of communication mutually and towards inmates
• That management ensure access for inmates to make cell calls in order to go to the toilet, and that both inmates and staff know that it is fully acceptable that inmates make cell calls in order to go to the toilet
• That management ensure that urine bottles are not handed out unless requested
• That management ensure that the staff conducting reception interviews receive guidance or training in uncovering mental health conditions, including suicidal thoughts, when receiving new inmates
• That management ensure that procedures concerning contact with healthcare staff are known and implemented in the institution
• That management ensure that inmates in the remand unit are offered occupation in accordance with the Executive Order on Occupation
• That management ensure that house rules etc. are brought in accordance with the applicable rules, including locally established rules, and that house rules etc. are updated when the underlying rules are changed and are handed out when requested
• That management ensure that, upon arrival, inmates are informed to the relevant extent about the rules in the prison in for instance arrival leaflets

Remand unit

Announced visit

Talks with 20 users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management introduce the necessary measures to ensure a safe environment for the inmates, including that inmates are addressed in a respectful manner
• That management ensure that staff knock on inmates’ cell doors before opening – unless for control purposes
• That management ensure that cell calls are answered as quickly as possible and within reasonable time
• That management ensure access for inmates to make cell calls in order to go to the toilet, and that both inmates and staff know that it is fully acceptable that inmates make cell calls in order to go to the toilet
• That management ensure that urine bottles or bedpans are not handed out unless requested
• That management ensure that a dated receipt is given when request forms are handed in and that requests from the inmates are handled as quickly as possible
• That management ensure that interpreters are used to the extent necessary, including during conversations between social workers and inmates
• That management ensure that staff to the relevant extent receive supplementary training or courses in conflict management, including coercion techniques
• That management ensure that staff receive guidance or training in uncovering mental health conditions, including suicidal thoughts, when receiving new inmates

Own-initiative case opened concerning information about possible abuse of an inmate.

Closed prison with remand unit, including treatment unit, special secure unit, disciplinary and solitary confinement unit and general association units

Talks with 31 users

Monitoring of one transport of inmates

Talk with one user

Announced visit

DIGNITY and IMR participated.

Recommendations

• That continuous managerial focus is ensured on the development of the number of inmates in and the duration of solitary confinement and the underlying reasons behind it
• That management, in the way it deems relevant, ensure that healthcare staff are informed when an inmate is placed in solitary confinement
• That management ensure that a scheme is implemented in which an inmate can discretely request a conversation with healthcare staff

Transport and guard unit

Monitoring of six transports of inmates

Announced visit

Talks with two users

DIGNITY and IMR participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that use of security measures when transporting inmates in open units takes place in accordance with Section 65(1) of the Sentence Enforcement Act
• That management ensure that staff pay attention to whether security measures are used in accordance with Section 65 or Section 65 a(1) of the Sentence Enforcement Act, including that correct complaint guidance is provided and that handcuff reports are written in accordance with Section 14 of the Executive Order on Security Measures
• That management ensure focus on remedying language barriers during transport, including making use of interpreters to the extent necessary
• that management ensure that staff are familiar with the rules on body searches, and that the rules are observed
• that management ensure that, in connection with outpatient treatment, there is focus on not unnecessarily showing that the patient is an inmate
• that management ensure that confidentiality between doctor and patient is respected as far as possible
• that management ensure that the use of handcuffs during healthcare treatment of inmates takes place according to a concrete assessment
• that management establish an overview of the transport and guard units’ use of coercion so that management can follow the development in the extent and nature thereof
• that management ensure compliance with the rules on consultation of parties when processing complaints about transport of inmates

Remand unit

Announced visit

Talks with eight users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that correct complaint guidance is given in connection with body searches, including that information about complaint access in the local prison’s house rules is correct
• That management ensure that staff knock on inmates’ cell doors before opening – unless for control purposes

Transport and guard unit

Monitoring of five transports of inmates

Announced visit

Talks with five users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that use of security measures when transporting inmates in open units takes place in accordance with Section 65(1) of the Sentence Enforcement Act
• That management ensure that staff pay attention to whether security measures are used in accordance with Section 65 or Section 65 a(1) of the Sentence Enforcement Act, including that correct complaint guidance is provided and that handcuff reports are written in accordance with Section 14 of the Executive Order on Security Measures
• That management ensure focus on remedying language barriers during transport, including making use of interpreters to the extent necessary
• That management ensure that staff are familiar with the rules on body searches, and that the rules are observed
• That management ensure that, in connection with outpatient treatment, there is focus on not unnecessarily showing that the patient is an inmate
• That management ensure that confidentiality between doctor and patient is respected as far as possible
• That management ensure that the use of handcuffs during healthcare treatment of inmates takes place according to a concrete assessment
• That management establish an overview of the transport and guard units’ use of coercion so that management can follow the development in the extent and nature thereof
• That management ensure compliance with the rules on consultation of parties when processing complaints about transport of inmates

Transport and guard unit

Monitoring of six transports of inmates

Announced visit

Talks with five users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that use of security measures when transporting inmates in open units takes place in accordance with Section 65(1) of the Sentence Enforcement Act
• That management ensure that staff pay attention to whether security measures are used in accordance with Section 65 or Section 65 a(1) of the Sentence Enforcement Act, including that correct complaint guidance is provided and that handcuff reports are written in accordance with Section 14 of the Executive Order on Security Measures
• That management ensure focus on remedying language barriers during transport, including making use of interpreters to the extent necessary
• That management ensure that staff are familiar with the rules on body searches, and that the rules are observed
• That management ensure that, in connection with outpatient treatment, there is focus on not unnecessarily showing that the patient is an inmate
• That management ensure that confidentiality between doctor and patient is respected as far as possible
• That management ensure that the use of handcuffs during healthcare treatment of inmates takes place according to a concrete assessment
• That management establish an overview of the transport and guard units’ use of coercion so that management can follow the development in the extent and nature thereof
• That management ensure compliance with the rules on consultation of parties when processing complaints about transport of inmates

The detention facility on Samsø

Announced visit

DIGNITY and IMR participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that the local provisions for use of the detention facility at Samsø Police Station are adjusted and updated so that they are in accordance with, among other things, the recommendations given in connection with the Ombudsman’s monitoring visit in 2005
• That management ensure that checks on the detainees are conducted in accordance with the rules of the Executive Order on Detention, the Detention Proclamation and the local rules
• That management ensure that checks on the detainees are documented in the detention report
• That management ensure that all relevant items in the detention reports are filled in

The detention facility in Roskilde

Unannounced visit

DIGNITY and IMR participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that all relevant items in the detention reports are filled in correctly
• That management ensure that checks on the detainees are conducted in accordance with the rules of the Executive Order on Detention and the Detention Proclamation

Remand unit

Announced visit

Talks with 11 users

DIGNITY and IMR participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that house rules are translated into relevant languages
• That management ensure that, in accordance with applicable law, an assessment is made of the inmates’ requests for telephoning, including of whether it is necessary to listen to the conversation
• That management consider possible measures in order to ensure discretion in relation to the local prison’s other inmates when an inmate is on the telephone

A closed inpatient unit and an open inpatient unit

Announced visit

Talks with three users and five relatives etc.

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that consent for seclusion in own room is obtained and documented in accordance with the relevant applicable rules and practice
• That management ensure that there are sufficient grounds for maintaining a forcible measure
• That management ensure that protocols on use of force are filled in correctly, including that there is accordance between the protocol on use of force and the other records
• That management ensure that monitoring of use of belts that has been postponed because the patient was asleep is carried out as soon as possible after the patient wakes up
• That management ensure that follow-up interviews are held as soon as possible after cessation of the forcible measure, and that it is recorded why a follow-up interview had to be postponed, if relevant

Own-initiative case opened concerning the region’s house rule standards for psychiatric departments.

Closed prison with association units, visitation unit, substance abuse treatment unit and contract unit

Announced visit

Talks with 26 users

DIGNITY and IMR participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that discretion is possible when giving request forms and that the receipt contains an optional subject field
• That management ensure that the house rules and the related set of rules are brought in accordance with the applicable rules, and that complaint options are informed of to the relevant extent in the house rules and set of rules
• That management ensure that the prison’s general complaint guidance is reviewed and brought in accordance with the applicable rules

Own-initiative case opened concerning the prison’s practice for carrying out accompanied leave.

Municipal accommodation facility for adults with mental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders

Announced visit

Talks with seven relatives etc.

DIGNITY participated.

The visit did not give cause for recommendations.

Municipal accommodation and activity facility for adults with mental disabilities

Announced visit

Talks with three users and ten relatives etc.

DIGNITY participated.

The visit did not give cause for recommendations.

Own-initiative case opened concerning physical guidance of a resident.

The detention facility in Kolding

Unannounced visit

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that the frequency of checks and checks upon arrival of detainees take place in accordance with the applicable rules

A closed and an open inpatient unit

Announced visit

Talks with two users and one patient adviser

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that monitoring of use of belts that has been postponed because the patient was asleep is carried out as soon as possible after the patient wakes up
• That management ensure that protocols on use of force are filled in correctly, including that there is accordance between the protocol on use of force and the other records
• That management ensure that follow-up interviews are held as soon as possible after cessation of the forcible measure, and that it is recorded why a follow-up interview had to be postponed, if relevant
• That management ensure that central statistics are kept of dismissed forcible measures and that these statistics are communicated to the unit staff in order to promote learning
• That management ensure that systematic recording of violence and threats among patients takes place, and that guidelines for prevention and handling of this are drawn up

The detention facility in Padborg

Announced visit

The visit did not give cause for recommendations.

Remand unit

Announced visit

Talks with five users

DIGNITY participated.

The visit did not give cause for recommendations.

Own-initiative case opened concerning subsequent information on the monitoring visit from an inmate.

Remand unit, including a unit for detained foreign nationals’ brief stays

Announced visit

Talks with three users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management consider if there is a need to cover up additional pipes in the ceiling of the foreign national unit in order to prevent suicide attempts

The detention facility in Silkeborg

Unannounced visit

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that checks on the detainees are conducted in accordance with the rules of the Executive Order on Detention and the Detention Proclamation, including that checks on arrival are conducted physically in the detention facility and generally at least with an open door to the detention room
• That management ensure that a doctor is summoned in connection with detention placement in Silkeborg in accordance with the rules of the Executive Order on Detention and the Detention Proclamation

Remand unit

Announced visit

Talks with four users

DIGNITY participated.

Recommendations

• That management ensure that the activity room, when used for occupancy, is furnished in a way that prevents any risk of inmates self-harming
• That management ensure that inmates receive the ‘pixie’ version of the house rules and that they receive the full house rules upon request
• That management ensure that house rules are updated and translated into relevant languages
• That management ensure that staff knock on inmates’ cell doors before opening – unless for control purposes

Persons with tolerated residence status

Announced visit

Talks with 17 residents

Dignity and IMR participated.

Recommendations

• That Return Centre Kærshovedgård continue its focus on ensuring – and start initiatives to ensure – that the return centre is a safe place to stay
• That Return Centre Kærshovedgård start initiatives in order to limit the availability of euphoriants at the return centre as much as possible
• That Return Centre Kærshovedgård consider how conditions can be improved for the women staying at the return centre
• That Return Centre Kærshovedgård create more inviting and functional common facilities in the buildings accommodating persons with tolerated residence status, including consider whether residents can have electric kettles in their rooms
• That Return Centre Kærshovedgård inform the residents that the control of their residence, notification and reporting obligation will again be carried out only electronically, and in that connection inform the residents how the previous errors in the control system have been solved
• That Return Centre Kærshovedgård implement fixed procedures to screen new residents for suicide risk in connection with their arrival at the return centre