Establishment of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s National Preventive Mechanism Internal procedures have been adopted for the resolution of such situations. The NPM does not process individual complaints. When the NPM receives an individual complaint during a visit, it passes it on to the relevant Parliamentary Ombudsman department for processing. Announced and unannounced visits The NPM is authorised to make both announced and unannounced visits. In 2014, the NPM conducted one unannounced visit. The NPM wishes to have a constructive relationship with the responsible authorities and cooperate with them. This form of collaboration demands high confidence that visits are conducted in an independent and investigative manner. Accordingly, the NPM intends to conduct unannounced visits in ­additional sectors as it gains experience. Announced and unannounced visits have both strengths and weaknesses. In the case of announced visits, there is the risk of being presented with a “touched up” picture. In the case of unannounced visits, a major challenge may be obtaining information beforehand, and ensuring that the administration and persons deprived of their liberty are in fact available during the visit. Further, unannounced visits may disrupt day-to-day activities or be challenging for children and others who are especially vulnerable. At the same time, unannounced visits may have a greater preventive effect beyond the actual places visited. Visit handbooks In 2014, the NPM developed handbooks for its visits based on the experiences of NPMs in other countries. The handbooks are designed to ensure that key topics are covered during each visit, that visits are conducted in accordance with defined procedures and standards, that they have a consistent content, and that they facilitate comparisons between institutions and of changes over time. Before the first visits to prisons and police custody facilities were undertaken in the autumn of 2014, the NPM developed handbooks for these two sectors. The visit handbooks set out the procedures for planning visits, including the identification of rules and regulations, and the obtaining of information during announced and unannounced visits. Further, the handbooks describe key aspects of the planning phase, the actual conduct of visits, the drafting of reports containing recommendations and the follow-up of findings and recommendations. Conduct of visits Every visit begins with the gathering of information from a range of sources. This includes relevant national and international legislation and information on the conditions faced by persons deprived of their liberty at the relevant place. If the visit is announced, the administration and the responsible authorities are informed. In the case of announced visits, the place receives a letter concerning the planned visit which also contains a request for information to be sent in advance or presented during the visit. Previous reports are obtained from relevant supervisory bodies, and the NPM advisory committee is encouraged to share information and provide input. In the case of unannounced visits, information is primarily obtained through openly accessible sources, but also through other sources, such as complaints and information received. The duration of a visit depends primarily on the size of the place in question. In 2014, the NPM has conducted visits that lasted between one and four days. Visits have the following main components: • meeting with the administration • inspection of the premises • private conversations with persons deprived of their liberty • conversations with staff, health workers, relatives and other affected persons • review of documents • final meeting with the administration When needed, the NPM’s staff use interpreters during conversations with persons deprived of their liberty. In 2014, the NPM used interpreters during visits to three of four places of detention. Wherever possible, the NPM seeks to use interpreters who can attend in person, but 10. See also UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT), Guiding principles for efforts to prevent torture, CAT/OP/12/6, 30 December 2010. 11. Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), Monitoring places of detention: a practical guide, February 2004, pages 29–33. Norway’s National Preventive Mechanism – Annual Report 2014 17