European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA): Criminal detention conditions database updated

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has published its updated online criminal detention database. For the first time, it covers detention conditions of women and prison food.

The Criminal Detention Database 2015-2022 provides information on detention conditions in all 27 EU Member States as well as in the United Kingdom. The main aim of the database is to inform – drawing on national, European and international standards, case law and monitoring reports – about selected core aspects of detention conditions, including cell space, sanitary conditions, access to healthcare and protection against violence. The database is meant to be a useful tool, especially for judges and legal practitioners engaged in cross-border cases.

The database originally came out in 2019 together with the report on criminal detention conditions in the European Union, which looked at five core aspects of detention conditions in EU Member States, summarised the minimum standards at international and European levels and reviewed how these rules apply in practice.