Places visited by the National Preventive Mechanism in 2011 establishment. Moreover, during their talks with the juveniles, the NPM representatives noted some disturbing signals proving that the staff treated juveniles in an unacceptable manner; this includeed punching (a blow to the neck), pulling, verbal abuse and aggressive behaviour. None of the residents was willing to submit an official complaint to the visiting team. The National Preventive Mechanism recommended the director of the establishment and its supervising authorities to thoroughly investigate this problem, to conduct explanatory proceedings and to eliminate practices of this kind. The Mechanism reminds that using physical violence against juveniles is inhuman treatment and as such it isunacceptable. Figure 6. The number of visits of the National Preventive Mechanism in Juvenile Detention Centres and Juvenile Shelters between 2008-2011 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 2 2 0 3 2 4 3 3 Juvenile shelters 2011 2010 2009 2 2 2 2 Juvenile detention centres Juvenile detention centres and juvenile shelters (functioning jointly) 2008 In the same establishment, the NPM acquainted itself with the Rules for juveniles detained in the transitory room of JDC and JS. A provision stipulating that when the Centre’s employee enters a room, a juvenile is obliged to stand up and introduce himself/herself: “I (name and surname) am a resident of Juvenile Detention Centre (Juvenile Shelter) in Konstantnów Łódzki”, raised doubts of the Mechanism. In the opinion of the visiting team, such command serves no educational purpose. Its aim is neither to teach juveniles good manners nor to teach them to greet staff members out of their own will. It is rather a form of showing a juvenile’s submission towards the staff. In other establishments no cases were reported of degrading treatment of residents by staff members, including the use of physical force. The NPM noted some irregularities in the use of direct coercive measures. In one of the establishments it was reported that boys were forcibly escorted to individual rooms, which should be regarded as applying a direct coercive measure, not recorded in a relevant register (JDC in Nowe). 101