RIMES Instrument
The RIMES instrument contains 39 validated indicators classified in nine pools. Each of them represents one field of social exclusion generated by criminal justice policies against suspects, offenders or ex-offenders.
Click in each of the pools to read the validated indicators
Control of public spaces
Rules
- Any person may be arrested for repeated street begging
- An individual may be arrested for loitering
- At its discretion, the police may enforce restrictions on specific individuals to access some public spaces (parks, squares, streets...)
Practices
11. Discriminatory street police interventions (stop and search, arrests, frisks/body searches...) targeting specific groups occur regularly.
Legal safeguards
Rules
21. The criminal justice system lacks indigent defense services
22. Payment of court fees is legally required from the defendant in order to get access to appellate review
24. The regular term for police detention established by the law exceeds 5 days
Practices
25. A significant number of mentally ill inmates serve their sentences in regular correctional facilities
Sentencing and sactions systems
Rules
33. In the case of prison sentences, neither probation as an alternative to sentencing nor suspended sentences are envisaged in the law
35. The law lacks provisions for penalties other than prison (community service, fines, house arrest...) in case of less serious felonies
36. Default imprisonment is the sole alternative to non-payment of a fine
Practices
38. At least three quarters of the inmates are serving their sentences in closed prisons
Harshest penalties
Rules
42. Death penalty is legally available
43. Life imprisonment without release is legally available
46. A minimum of 20 years served is required before claiming release from life imprisonment
Practices
50. Those sentenced to life imprisonment regularly serve more than 25 years
Prison rules
Rules
55. The system lacks a specific prison regime for young adults
62. The law lacks statutory provisions regulating inmates’ legal assistance for penitentiary matters
64. The law requires payment of fees by the inmate before claiming judicial review of penitentiary decisions
Practices
68. Family and intimate visits take place at intervals of over one month
Preventive intervention
Rules
74. Preventive detention may last for an unlimited period of time
79. The maximum statutory term for pretrial detention exceeds 3 years
Practices
81. The average length of preventive detention exceeds 5 years
82. Over 30% of the prison population is in pre-trial detention
Legal and social status of offenders and ex-offenders
Rules
86. Those sentenced to up 3 years of imprisonment for any criminal offence may be deprived of the right to vote for over 4 years after serving their sentences
88. Legally resident foreigners may be deported if they receive a custodial sentence up to one year or a non- custodial sentence
91. Those sentenced to up to 3 years of imprisonment are prohibited from doing certain jobs not connected with their offences or with law enforcement for a period of more than 5 years after their sentence has been completed
92. Those sentenced to up to 3 years of imprisonment for any criminal offence are not eligible for public housing for a certain period after having served their sentences
93. Nationals sentenced to imprisonment for any criminal offence are not eligible for welfare benefits for a certain period after having served their sentences
Practices
This pool is only composed by rules.
Police and criminal récords
Rules
99. Private employers which are not related to private security companies or to those working with children or vulnerable adults are entitled to request information about criminal records to potential employees
100. Anyone may request information about other people’s criminal records without needing to argue grounds established by law
101. The criminal records of any citizen are legally accessible through internet
Practices
107. The media regularly disclose the full names, current addresses or pictures of ex-felons
Youth criminal justice
Rules
113. Youth justice applies to children who are 12 years old or younger
117. Youth justice provides custodial sanctions of over 10 years
120. Minors’ criminal records keep legal effects after reaching the age of majority
Practices
121. Custodial sanction is one of the three most common sanctions applied to minors
126. Alien minors are deported because of an offence