Female inmates made to strip in front of male staff

FEMALE PRISONERS were forced to remove their clothing, including underwear, in front of male officers, during a search of the…

FEMALE PRISONERS were forced to remove their clothing, including underwear, in front of male officers, during a search of the Dóchas Centre women’s prison in Dublin last year.

The incident is highlighted in a report of the prison visiting committee, one of 14 reports published by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter. The reports show overcrowding, “slopping out” practices and degrading conditions remain a feature of the prison system.

The individual visiting committee’s annual reports cover 14 prisons and places of detention.

They are Arbour Hill, Cloverhill, Castlerea, Cork, the Dóchas Centre, Limerick, Loughan House, Midlands, Mountjoy, Portlaoise, Shelton Abbey, St Patrick’s Institution, the Training Unit and Wheatfield.

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The report of the visiting committee for the Dóchas Centre women’s prison in Dublin said overcrowding continued to be a problem. The number of prisoners held there peaked at 150 last year, with three babies in a prison designed for 85 women.

The committee highlighted what it said were two serious incidents in 2010 which were drawn to the Minister’s attention.

In May, a prisoner was “forcibly removed from the prison in circumstances which represent a serious violation of her human rights while a prisoner”, the report said. “Letters from the visiting committee regarding this incident have been unanswered and while assured that investigations are ongoing, there has been no result to date.”

The committee expressed “deep concern” about a search carried out by a dedicated search team. This involved a physical inspection of the prison and an examination of women using a “Boss” body orifice-scanning chair.

The committee said it “unreservedly” acknowledged the right of the Irish Prison Service to maintain order and discipline in the prison, but it was the manner of this particular search which it called into question.

“Having locked down the prison and having searched prisoners, the search required women to be brought to the gym where they were required to remove clothing, including underwear, in the presence of male officers,” the report said. “A small number of towels were passed among the women, a number of whom were not adequately covered.”

The committee said what had occurred was “certainly not in keeping with international norms of good practice. The degrading requirement of involuntary body exposure on this occasion was an unnecessary humiliation.”

The committee noted “with regret” what it said was a “distinct shift from the ethos on which the success of Dóchas was built”.

Censorship of incoming items resulted in women not having access to fresh underwear on occasion in 2010, and a lack of toothbrushes on another.

“This is wholly unacceptable.”

It added, however, that staff showed a strong commitment to the good running of the prison and a humane attitude to prisoners.

The visiting committee for Mountjoy noted that while dirty conditions had prevailed for many years, from January 2010 cleanliness had improved dramatically and continued through the year.

A further “major improvement” was seen after the appointment of new governor Edward Whelan.

At Cork Prison, the committee noted slopping out and lack of in-cell sanitation made living conditions “difficult and degrading”.

“Efforts are being made to resolve ‘slopping out’ by introducing a new ‘slopping-out’ vessel,” the committee noted.

The committee said there was no improvement in overcrowding levels at Cloverhill. The highest number in custody on any day was 505 prisoners in October, or 74 over capacity. On three occasions last year, the number in custody was more than 500.

Mr Shatter said some recommendations in visiting committee reports had been addressed.