The willingness of European states to allow the spotlight of scrutiny to penetrate place of detention, to permit publication of critical findings, and to subject themselves to monitoring to ensure that defects have been corrected is so far unparalleled. It is astonishing how rapidly the protection of detainees against ill-treatment has been achieved in Europe. The openness of the states is a visible symbol that the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) is achieving success and establishing a real influence in many countries. However, there are significant, real, and deep-rooted problems in European places of detention. Certain states continue to exhibit clear contempt for the rights and protection of detainees. Ultimately, though, the issue is the extent to which these new European standards, prompted by the CPT, will gradually become assimilated into the law and practice of individual states. The establishment of the CPT which began in 1990 stated that the Committee shall, by means of visits, examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty with a view to strengthening, if necessary, the protection of such persons from torture and from inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.