DJI takes preventive action against coronavirus
The Custodial Institutions Agency (DJI) is taking additional measures to prevent further spreading of the coronavirus. Given the closed nature of DJI institutions, an infection inside such an institution could have serious consequences for both personnel and prisoners. Their safety is our primary concern.
As a consequence, all visits to prisoners in custodial institutions will be suspended as of tomorrow. In order for contact to be maintained as much as possible, opportunities for telephone and – wherever possible – Skype contact will be expanded. The only visits that will be allowed are those that are essential to the course of justice, such as lawyer visits (and which cannot be replaced by the use of digital aids). Young people in young-offenders institutions may continue to receive visits from their parents or legal guardians. To the maximum extent possible, prisoners will attend court hearings by video link from prison. This will help minimise the risk of the virus spreading through transport.
All leave for prisoners, persons detained under a hospital order and young offenders will be suspended immediately. To limit the number of movements in and out of prisons, prisoners serving the final stage of their sentence, who spend most of their time outside prison walls for work and only return in the evening, will remain outside prison walls. They will be given temporary leave to sleep at home. These measures will remain in place until at least 31 March, at which point extension beyond this date will be considered. In addition, convicted persons who were given leave to await sentencing at home and who have been sentenced to a brief period of imprisonment will not be called upon to serve their sentence. They will serve their sentence at a later date.
At the moment, the institutions remain free from infection, but naturally DJI is taking all necessary steps to prepare for this eventuality. Given the importance of the closed nature of the institutions, far-reaching measures in the case of infection cannot be ruled out. Any measures will be based on the advice of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. Infected prisoners will be isolated in their cells, and there are scenarios in place to amend day programmes or take other measures in the event of infection.