the Catholic Prison Ministry, community councils and state human rights councils. In many places, the latter two do not exist or do not function; some lack the necessary resources (mainly some ouvidorias); and others lack the genuine independence necessary to do effective work (some corregedorias). councils on human rights continue to vary dramatically around the country. In those few cases where these councils have been working effectively, there are extremely worrying reports of politically motivated attempts to hinder or undermine their work. For example, in Rio de Janeiro, state government with judicial collaboration, managed to oust the president of the community council after he made persistent denunciations of violations. In the state of Espírito Santo, where the prison system is riddled with corruption and human rights violations, the state authorities have managed to bar all access to prisons by the officially mandated human rights council and all other human rights or religious groups. The police should be unified under civilian authority and justice. Congress should approve the draft law to transfer the ordinary courts jurisdiction over manslaughter, causing bodily harm and other crimes including torture committed by the military police. (s) The split police system makes external monitoring of the military police very difficult. Non-governmental sources: There is no recent information of attempts to introduce structural reform of the police or legal reform allowing for the prosecution of police in civil courts. Police stations should be transformed into institutions offering a public service. (t) External investigation is overly dependent on the goodwill and cooperation of the heads of police stations that hold exorbitant power. Non-governmental sources: While some efforts were made, most notably in Rio de Janeiro, to change the structure and nature of police stations, there is no current information to suggest that such fundamental reforms have been effectively realized. A qualified medical Detainees must request a The state institutes of forensic medicine in 21 A/HRC/13/39/Add.6 provided for community and state councils on human rights and police and prison ombudsmen. Fully-resourced community councils with unrestricted access to all places of detention should be established in each state. (r)