16 THE GREEK OMBUDSMAN Immediately after the inspection, team members share their views with each other and within the next days the report is drafted, filed in the special “OPCAT archive” and sent to the facility inspected, along with any suggestions and observations, while also communicated to the General Directorate of Crime and Penitentiary Policy of the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights. The report constitutes the basis for preparing the follow-up visit to the facility and for monitoring the implementation of the suggested recommendations. General annual findings • Based on all NPM inspections of Penitentiary Facilities (Diavata, Corinth, Chios, Ioannina, Corfu, Nigrita, Kassandra, Komotini), no overcrowding is observed in 2017, which has significantly improved detention conditions. However, the Mechanism repeats its earlier recommendation for a holistic approach to the improvement of incarceration conditions. Occasional measures to address prison congestion are but one aspect of the care that the State should take regarding criminal detention. Legislation should be centrally oriented towards the rationalisation of prison terms imposed, the protection of human dignity and the reduction of incarceration time through the implementation of alternative detention measures. However, the penitentiary issue cannot be addressed solely on a legislative basis, without the necessary funds and qualified staff. The quality of infrastructure and the adequacy of human resources are essential in guaranteeing safety and respect of human dignity during detention. • Despite the positive initiatives on the part of the administration, the lack of creative activities for the inmates, as well as shortages in permanent specialized medical and nursing personnel, Social Service staff and psychologists, remain critical issues in most Detention Facilities. It should be noted that, even though required by law, there is no criminologist in any Detention Facility. • It is in this direction that efforts should be intensified towards motivating the hiring of permanent medical and nursing staff in every Detention Facility, ensuring 24 hour availability. The common practice of penitentiary staff being charged with nursing duties can only be used to serve administrative functions, e.g. sorting medicines or inserting data in files, and under no circumstances is it appropriate for required medical actions. Furthermore, it is deemed necessary that every Facility has a defibrillator and cardiograph. Ultimately, closeness of a Facility to a hospital or health centre does not guarantee the prisoners’ sound health, as the transfer procedure is complicated and time consuming, having even a deterrent effect. • It is generally acknowledged that inactivity further burdens the already poor psychological state of prisoners. Organising seminars and workshops would help “decompress” inmates and handle tensions within the