Preventing Torture An Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions - Updated Edition 1.4.5 Logistics It is important for the NHRI to take into consideration the following aspects prior to the visit: • define the timeframe of the visit, including breaks and debriefings within the team • set up the transportation • define the dress code • bring all the necessary materials and the proper equipment, including recording devices, personal IDs, and copies of all the necessary credentials, permissions and identification documents needed to carry out the visit. 1.4.6 Mental preparation Before the visit, the NHRI should take some time to think about the visit, the attitude of the monitoring team and that of the authorities and staff in the place to be visited. In particular, the team should: • be clear about the mandate of the institution, its powers and limitations • anticipate possible problems and how they might be resolved, for example if the team is denied access to some facilities or documents • be mindful of the “do no harm” principle and the risk of reprisals due to monitoring. 2. Undertaking a visit Although each preventive visit to a place of detention is unique, there are some standard steps that need to be followed, including: • an initial talk with the person in charge of the facility • a tour of the premises • consultation of registers and other documentation • interviews with detainees in private • interviews with staff • a final talk with the person in charge. 2.1 Triangulating information Preventive monitoring requires to cross-check all relevant, available information from different sources (a process known as “triangulation”) in order to gain a clear understanding of the situation and to properly evaluate the treatment and conditions of persons deprived of liberty. Triangulation is at the core of the monitoring methodology and is key to gathering credible and objective information. The different sources of information include: • persons deprived of their liberty • authorities, staff members and other sources (including relatives, former detainees, lawyers, service-providers, chaplains) • first-hand observation by the monitoring team, and consultation of registers and other documentation. 2.2 Initial talk with the person in charge The visit usually begins with an initial conversation with the person in charge of the facility, or if they are not present, the person next in charge. 114