Failings highlighted in Guernsey detainees treatment

The report said detainees should be told struggling against handcuffs could cause then to tighten

Some failings in the way Guernsey treats its prisoners have been published by the Council of Europe.
The report followed an assessment of practices according to the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture.
It highlighted "a few" allegations of excessive use of force and a failure to ensure detained 17-year-olds were treated as juveniles.
The report's recommendations were described by the States as "minor".
The assessment was carried out in March during a visit to the Bailiwick by a committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).
The five-person delegation was headed by Wolfgang Heinz from the CPT and included a psychiatric expert from Finland and the director of a Belgian prison.
The team inspected police headquarters in St Peter Port, the customs and immigration detention facility at White Rock, Les Nicolles Prison, Perruque House secure unit for children and the Albecq acute psychiatric ward in Castel Hospital.
The report said the team "enjoyed excellent co-operation" and had unlimited access to places, people and information.Disciplinary procedures
However, in its recommendations, it said appropriate steps must be taken to ensure handcuffs were applied correctly and where ratchet handcuffs were used, detainees were told that struggling might cause them to tighten.
It also said police officers should be reminded that no more force than strictly necessary should be used during an arrest and once detainees were brought under control, there was never any justification for striking them.
The report also asked for the outcome of any disciplinary procedures on a prison officer at Les Nicolles who was suspended after allegedly closing a cell door on an inmate's hand.
Other points highlighted included:

• Two of the seven police cells should only be used as temporary holding places for no more than a few hours.
  
• Juveniles should be held in specially designed detention centres at Guernsey's prison.
  
• Prisoners suffering from a mental health disorder should be cared for in an adequately equipped hospital environment.
  

In a statement, the Policy Council said Guernsey was proud of its standards of treatment of detainees and the secure, decent and healthy environment in which this occurred.
It welcomed the CPT report which had made a number of positive comments.
Some minor recommendations have been given "serious consideration", the statement added.
PDF download Council of Europe report_[221KB (from BBC)

I know these are trouble makers but the way they get bundled into a van with their hand behind their backs then driven off it asking to someone to be injured badly as they cannot protect themselves from being throw all around the police van . they could strap them in this would save them from injury and save us from having to pay out in compensations .
And having to pay for any hospital bills that come from this

Ah the poor little darlings, are they being nasty to you ? Oh what a shame !

sarcasm is the lowest form of whit

And Yobbism is the lowest form of life.

That may be but two wrong certainly dont make a right.

but three lefts do.

lol

if these little darlings will insist on being yobs,beating people up,or whatever other crime they have committed they deserve to be treated with the utmost contempt. imo they are treated too softly.as for a seperate detention centre how much is that going to cost the taxpayer of guernsey just to keep these little yobs in luxury x

Not all of the ones they arrest are yobs ..that is the point i have know some who were just in the area being put into the van and taken away .only to be released later with out charge ,it is this i am talking about .make sure they are in safe before you drive off .as being thrown around the back of a police van with your hands behind your back can cause terrible injury to those who are innocent .
And yes there are many who are yobs and cause untold damage in our town .
but wait until they are charged and then give them the punishment .

i see your point now kat x

Kat you are for too nice and kind a person for the islands good. This rabble take advantage of people like you.

I do believe in fair play for all

kat wrote:I do believe in fair play for all

Maybe you do, but these people don't.

It would be interesting to see a report by these European 'experts' on a prison in, say, Turkey. Also, whether the authorities there take any notice and follow up on recommendations.

Kat, If someone has their hands cuffed behind their back it is for a reason, normally violence related. People quite often get into the back of the van uncuffed. I doubt that someone with hands cuffed behind their back will be wlking away later "innocent" not proven perhaps but innocent I doubt it.

As to cost of facilities at a prison remember the penalty for the crime is detention, the circumstances in which they are kept is not part of the penalty so we have a duty to keep them safe in at least a minimum amount of comfort.