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, which was among 14 such reports published by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter today.
The reports show that overcrowding, ‘slopping out’ and degrading conditions remain a feature of the prison system.
The individual visiting committee annual reports cover 14 prisons and places of detention.
They are Arbour Hill, Cloverhill, Castlerea, Cork, Dóchas Centre, Limerick, Loughan House, Midlands, Mountjoy, Portlaoise, Shelton Abbey, St Patrick’s Institution, the Training Unit and Wheatfield.
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 also expressed “deep concern” about a search carried out by a dedicated search team. This search involved both a physical inspection of the prison and an examination of women using a 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 Dochas was built” and expressed concern over future direction of the prison.
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 also said, however, that staff showed a strong commitment to the good running of the prison and a humane attitude to prisoners.
The departure of Dóchas governor Kathleen McMahon halfway through the year marked a “low point in the prison and the transition period impacted considerably on the smooth running of the prison”.
Dóchas also experienced its first death by suicide of a prisoner during 2010.
The visiting committee for Mountjoy noted that while dirty conditions had prevailed for many years, from January 2010 cleanliness improved dramatically and continued throughout the year. A further “major improvement” was seen following the appointment of new governor Edward Whelan.
The entire prison has been cleaned, painted and a daily structure has been introduced. Cells were also cleaned and painted which proved that it was rubbish to suggest that nothing could be done with such an old building.”
There was no improvement on the overcrowding front, despite new accommodation being provided nationwide, the Mountjoy committee said. There had been instances of eight people put in a cell for four.
“New bunk beds were installed to help the situation, but they are not a success as far as we are concerned.”
At Cork Prison, the committee noted that 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.
It was impressed with a new video link system installed in Limerick Prison and recommended a similar system for Cork.
At Cloverhill, which is mainly a remand prison, the committee said there was no improvement in overcrowding levels.
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 over 500.
Mr Shatter said a number of specific recommendations in the reports of the visiting committees had already been addressed. They included difficulty pre-booking visits to Midlands Prison and access to the library at the Dochas Centre.