TIN began to collect information about political detention in Tibet upon its inception in 1988, relying on simple but careful methods and analysis to maintain accuracy. By the mid-1990s a large amount of complex data had been amassed, and it was apparent that a more sophisticated means of handling the material was needed. In 1997 initial steps were taken towards developing a customized database that could deal with the details of individual cases as well as reveal the diverse characteristics of political prisoners.