MONITORING PLACES OF DETENTION : A PRACTICAL GUIDE 48 Scope of mandate (Art. 19) National preventive mechanisms must be granted at least the power to: ■ Regularly examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in places of detention; ■ Make recommendations to the relevant authorities for improvement; ■ Submit proposals and observations on existing draft legislation. Definition of places of detention Places where people are deprived of their liberty are defined broadly in the OPCAT and include: ■ Police stations ■ Security force stations ■ Pre-trial centres ■ Remand Prisons ■ Prisons for sentenced persons ■ Centres for juveniles ■ Immigration centres ■ Transit zones at international airports ■ Centres for asylum seekers ■ Psychiatric institutions ■ Places of administrative detention ■ Any other place where people are deprived of their liberty