How big a problem is torture? Are the right things being done to prevent it? What does the UN do, and why does is appear at times to be so impotent in the face of torture? Why have some countries, including Australia, been so hesitant, or even resistant, to the work of the UN in this field?

In this vitally important work, Malcolm Evans tells the story of torture prevention under international law, setting out what is really taking place in places of detention around the world. Challenging assumptions about torture's root causes, he calls for what is needed to enable us to be in a better position to bring about change.

The author draws on over ten years' experience as the Chair of the United Nations Sub-Committee for Prevention of Torture to give a frank account of the remarkable capacities of this system, what it has achieved in practice, what it has not been able to achieve - and most importantly, why.