Overview 2.3 Facts and figures 2.3.1 Preventive control and monitoring activities In 2013 a total of 530 visits were performed within the AOB’s preventive mandate. Of these, 465 fell within the mandate as NPM relating to institutions and facilities where persons are at risk of being exposed to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or measures depriving them of their liberty; 96 % of these visits were unannounced. 465 NPM visits The institutions and facilities to be monitored by the AOB fulfil different functions and - based on their functions - can be classified as different institution types. The statistics of the visits follow this system of classification. In detail, visits were made as follows: 89 visits to police departments, 52 to correctional institutions, 84 to youth welfare institutions and facilities, 67 to institutions and facilities for persons with disabilities, 106 to retirement and nursing homes, 63 to psychiatric wards at hospitals and medical facilities and 4 to military barracks. The commissions further observed the behaviour of executive bodies and officers of administrative authorities when issuing direct orders or carrying out coercive measures in a total of 65 instances. In most cases, (forced) returns and manifestations were observed; 61 % of these visits were unannounced. 65 observations of police operations The majority of visits took place in Vienna and Lower Austria. It is worth noting here that these are the two biggest Laender with a very high institution density. The commissions’ observations and findings are recorded in standardised reports of their visits. These form the basis for subsequent investigation and for the AOB‘s final assessment. In many cases, the AOB as NPM must contact the supervisory authorities and the parties responsible for the institutions and facilities in order to identify possible deficits in the system and to develop suggestions for improvements together. During the reporting year, the NPM successfully completed its work on 234 visit reports compiled in that year. Prior year data is not available, so a comparison to the previous year usually provided in monitoring statistics is not possible in this performance record. The AOB and its commissions took over its preventive monitoring duties as of 1 July 2012. A separate English report gives account on the first full year of the AOB‘s new role to protect and promote human rights and presents the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for 2013. 11