What is a complaint?

In this toolkit, complaints are defined as requests to the NPM relating to treatment, conditions or other situations in detention. These requests are made mainly by persons deprived of their liberty, but they may also come from someone acting on their behalf, such as family members or lawyers, or from other individuals such as staff members.
Complaints may be raised to the NPM in the context of visits to places of detention, orally or in writing, or outside visits, through different means including mail, telephone and email. Many NPMs that are part of larger institutions may also receive complaints from other departments (see below).
In the presence of complaints, it is important for the NPM to first analyse whether it is the best positioned to respond and, if so, what type of action it may take. This is particularly relevant for NPMs that are not part of broader institutions with a mandate to handle individual complaints, which often feel pressured to handle complaints Therefore, it is very important to establish criteria to receive and classify the complaints, and decide on the actions to take.