The problem with detention is that every time a State deprives a person from his/her freedom, it takes on the responsibility to cater for all of that person's needs. When this practice is carried out at a wide-scale, indiscriminately and for prolonged periods it becomes very costly and no longer a good value for the money invested; no matter how well resources have been managed. Detention therefore should not be Greece' main policy tool; it can only offer a limited and last resort solution when all other more cost-effective alternatives of a comprehensive strategy have been exhausted. Recommendations There are effective and less costly alternatives that Greece must explore before investing further in a policy with doubtful outcomes. Alternatives that have been successfully applied in other countries include: 51  Screening and assessment of individual cases: character-based evaluation can reduce the risk of unnecessary detention; detention is also needless when deportation cannot take place in the near future or the migrant has already consented to be returned to her/his home country.  Investment in early legal advice: irregular migrants, including asylum-seekers, often rely on false information provided by the smugglers. Early legal advice, preferably through personal contact with an assigned caseworker, can result in quicker and more durable decisions, resulting in overall savings  Expansion of alternative surveillance schemes: Less coercive measures, such as fines and reporting to police stations have been successfully applied and are more cost-effective in cases where there is no imminent prospect of return.  Investment in open accommodations: Asylum-seekers, families, vulnerable categories can be housed in open accommodations that are less costly, achieve higher standards and allow better integration of approved cases.  Expansion of return counseling programs: Information about return programs should be wider disseminated. Studies show that specific categories of persons that are more likely to agree to return to their home countries. (e.g. Families with children). 51 See International Detention Coalition and La Trobe Refugee Research Centre Report “There are alternatives: a handbook for preventing unnecessary immigration detention”, 2011, available at http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Migration/Events/IDC.pdf ; see UNHCR Guidelines on the applicable criteria and standards relating to the detention of asylum-seekers and alternatives to detention, available at http://www.unhcr.org/505b10ee9.html . 11