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8 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 2016 News IN ALL LEADING BOOK SHOPS HISTORY OF ORNITHOLOGY IN MALTA UN torture committee calls for improved living conditions inside Maltese prisons MATTHEW VELLA THE United Nations Commit- tee for the Prevention of Tor- ture (CPT) has complained that particular divisions at the Cor- radino Correctional Facility pro- vided generally poor living con- ditions for the inmates. The situation is commented on in a report published this week on the CPT's eighth visit to Mal- ta in September 2015. The CPT, which examines the treatment and conditions of de- tention afforded to persons held in various places of deprivation of liberty across Malta, said that the CCF's divisions II, III and XIII had cells that were hot and dirty, lacked ventilation, pos- sessed unscreened and poorly- functioning toilets and held in- mates who had no direct access to drinking water. It called for steps to be taken to remedy these and other deficien- cies. The CPT's delegation also found that the male and female Forensic Psychiatric Units at Mount Carmel Hospital were not being properly managed, im- pacting negatively on the care provided to patients. It recommended that a com- plete review of the purpose and functioning of the forensic units be undertaken, that the Minis- try of Health be tasked with the oversight of the forensic units and that the units should be brought under the management of Mount Carmel Hospital. "Investment is required in the recruitment and training of qualified nursing staff to per- form all the duties required of a forensic psychiatric service – only one nurse had a speciali- sation in psychiatry while the other healthcare staff members were all agency staff. "The atmosphere and regime were extremely carceral and un-therapeutic and the mate- rial conditions for the patients were poor and there were no in- dividualised care plans. On the male unit, the use of means of restraint was being applied by prison officers instead of health- care staff, and the recording of such measures was inadequate. The application of any means of restraint should only be carried out by adequately trained health- care staff and resort should nev- er be had to the Special Response Team from the prison, and a sys- tematic recording system should be put in place." The CPT welcomed the fact that more than 80% of the Mal- tese prison population were of- fered access to some kind of work and education. "However, the restrictive regime on Divi- sions V and XIII, where the par- ticularly problematic inmates were placed, needs to evolve and a full range of activities offered," the CPT said. The committee said the situa- tion of life-sentenced prisoners was also poor in terms of lack of access to activities, no sentence plan and no access to parole. The CPT reiterated that the policy towards life-sentenced prisoners must be reconsidered, notably to afford life-sentenced prisoners the possibility to apply for con- ditional release. The government said in re- sponse that although the re- storative justice act does not al- low these individuals to benefit from parole, these individuals may apply to the President of Malta prerogative of mercy that the Constitution of Malta con- templates in Article 93. Persons who are imprisoned for life are allowed to benefit from special leave such as to attend funerals or weddings; inmates facing a life sentence are also allowed to practise their hobbies as well as to participate in all activities be- ing organised by CCF. It also said there was insuf- ficient coordination of health- care services, and no strategy for those at risk of self-harm and the administration of psychotropic medication was unsafe. The CPT found a generally good atmosphere at the separate Young Offenders Unit of Re- habilitation Services (YOURS), but complained that young per- sons were not provided with a full programme of purposeful out-of-cell activities. "Indeed, there was no specifically tailored regime for juveniles, nor were there any programmes to help juveniles and young offenders prepare for reintegration into society. Also, staff were not spe- cifically trained to work and en- gage with young persons. Action should be taken to address these shortcomings." Police and Safi detention sites The CPT's delegation found that, generally, the police treated arrested and detained persons correctly, and it received no al- legations of ill-treatment. Al- though material conditions in police detention areas were gen- erally adequate, a number of de- ficiencies were found, including lack of access to potable water, no in-cell call bells, poor ventila- tion and lighting. The CPT noted that the reduc- tion in the numbers of persons detained in the Safi barracks, which house immigrants with no leave of entry, should make it easier to ensure that those who are detained are held in decent conditions. "The CPT is again critical of the fact that no proper medical screening is carried out on every newly arrived detainee. As con- cerns the airport holding area, it is important that the log book be diligently completed and that persons are not held for periods in excess of 24 hours. As regards Dar il-Liedna open centre for young persons, the main con- cern of the CPT relates to the ap- parent frequent fighting among residents." Mount Carmel Psychiatric Hospital Mount Carmel Psychiatric Hospital continues to serve both as a mental health facility treating patients with acute and chronic mental health disorders and a social care home for those in need of assisted care. While living conditions in most of the wards were generally acceptable, the CPT was particu- larly critical of the Maximum Secure Unit, both as regards the material conditions and the treatment, and recommended that the unit be relocated to a place where a therapeutic living environment can be provided. "Every patient should not only have a written individual treat- ment plan but be consulted in its development. Further, the range of rehabilitative and therapeutic activities on offer should be wid- ened. As regards the application of electroconvulsive treatment, the CPT recommends that it is always performed with elec- troencephalogram monitoring, which was not the case at the time of the visit." The report said that the Corradino prison cells are hot and dirty