Summary of the decision: In a decision several years ago, the Parliamentary Ombudsman called attention to a number of procedures within the Swedish Prison and Probation Service involving cell name plates, and welcomed the agency’s stated intention to look into the matter.

It is now apparent that the Swedish Prison and Probation Service has neither implemented any strategic work to identify alternative solutions for identifying inmates, nor given any consideration to national guidance. The agency has stated that work is still required to develop national guidelines on cell name plates. The Parliamentary Ombudsman states that it is regrettable that this has not been done earlier and expresses surprise that no action whatsoever appears to have been taken concerning the matter

The issue of identifying inmates is complex and involves a difficult weighing up of interests, not least in the present strained situation with increasing numbers of inmates on most wings of Swedish remand prisons and prisons, with inmates sharing cells and many newly recruited prison officers. It therefore appears to the Parliamentary Ombudsman that there is a significant need for guidelines on the use and design of cell name plates.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman assumes that the work of preparing written guidelines on the use of cell name plates in remand prisons and prisons is now underway. According to the Parliamentary Ombudsman, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service must ensure that institutions use secure methods for identifying inmates that are also consistent with the rules on secrecy and the processing of personal data, as well as the requirement for enforcement to be designed to counteract the negative consequences of deprivation of liberty.