have been kindly updated for the inspectorate by Mr Bruno AUBUSSON de CAVARLAY, researcher at the CSEDIP [French Centre for Sociological Research on Law and Criminal Justice Institutions]/ CNRS [French National Centre of Scientific Research], to whom I would like to express my gratitude. The annexes will enable all readers to gain a better understanding of the work of the Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté, to place its action within the framework of the rules that pertain to it (United Nations Protocol and act of 30th October 2007) and to gain a clearer view of the actions undertaken (institutions inspected, recommendations made, reports placed online at www.cglpl.fr) and the staff and resources employed. With regard to the latter point, readers will easily ascertain the extent to which inspection work, which too often sets up a single person as its sole perceptible symbol, is totally collective, both with regard to the thinking that informs it and the actions conducted. This report is a perfect illustration thereof. Anonymity is the rule and should not be an obstacle to the deep gratitude that I would like to express to all of the inspectors, responsible for inquiries as well as administration, who probably made a small contribution to progress in the cause of the protection of rights. They are rightly proud of this contribution; they may say to themselves that their work and unsparing effort has played its part. They are the “invisible hand” of fundamental rights. Jean-Marie Delarue 11