MONITORING PLACES OF DETENTION : A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR NGOS 123 Comments Most detainees will one day return to freedom. They must therefore be allowed and encouraged to maintain as many links and contacts as possible with the outside world. These contacts must not be limited to the family, but should also include friends and other connections. Families can keep in touch via postal correspondence or telephone conversations. Visits, however, are certainly the best means for maintaining links. They should permit physical contact with the visitors, and the conditions in which they take place should reconcile the demands of security and of human dignity. Private or family visiting rooms should also be encouraged. Foreign detainees should be given sustained attention, as they can be in a situation of moral and material destitution. Extended visits could be offered to families who have to travel a long way. If the family lives too far away, visits could be replaced by telephone conversations. Reference points Correspondence ■ Is private mail subject to censorship? ■ If so, what are the criteria for censorship and are they known to those deprived of their liberty? ■ What are the conditions for receiving parcels? Maintaining family and social links ■ How often are visits from outside authorised? ■ What is the length of such visits? 4