The Impact of Judicial Inspectors on Reducing Torture and Ill-treatment in Detention Facilities: A Global Survey-Using case studies to assess preventative measures and accountability

Torture and other forms of ill-treatment remain widespread in detention facilities worldwide, despite international frameworks such as the UN Convention against Torture and the Nelson Mandela Rules. This study examines the role of judicial inspectors, judges, courts, and magistrates, who are authorized to conduct unannounced visits, interview detainees, and issue binding orders, as a critical yet underexplored mechanism for preventing custodial abuse and promoting accountability. The research pursues three key objectives: (1) mapping the legal mandates and operational structures of judicial inspection regimes across 35 jurisdictions on six continents; (2) analyzing how inspections influence staff conduct and institutional culture; and (3) identifying contextual factors that enhance or limit their effectiveness. Methodologically, the study is based exclusively on a systematic review of narrative literature. Scholarly works, inspection reports, legal frameworks, and policy documents published between 2005 and 2024 were systematically identified through academic databases, organizational repositories, and grey literature sources. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to ensure the relevance and quality of sources, and the selected body of literature was narratively synthesized to trace conceptual developments, practical outcomes, and crossjurisdictional variations in judicial inspection regimes.