MONITORING PLACES OF DETENTION : A PRACTICAL GUIDE 86 5. FOLLOW-UP OF THE VISIT The visit is not an end in itself: It is merely the beginning of a process aimed at improving the treatment and conditions of detention of persons deprived of their liberty. The phase which follows the visit is thus as important as the visit itself, if not more so. Visits should be followed by reports addressed to the authorities in charge, including recommendations for improving the situation. Implementation of these recommendations should also be closely monitored. 5.1 Internal follow-up The visiting mechanism must be able to identify reference points or indicators which enable it to follow the evolution over time of the conditions of detention in the places that it visits regularly. This means that the information gathered by the visiting teams must be analysed, organised, and filed in such a way that it can be used as efficiently as possible when needed. Information which is neither analysed nor filed logically is lost information. It is recommended that the visiting team dra w up internal notes on the visit, on the basis of a standard format (see Annex 2). These notes constitute a written trace of the visit and contribute to the institutional memory of the visiting body. They are essential in preparing the next visit. These internal notes could include: ■ General information about the place and about the nature of the visit; ■ Data concerning the establishment; ■ Key information obtained during the visit: main problems identified, actions to undertake, points to verify at next visit.