Untitled Quiz

Prison Administration

• Prisons are a state subject in India, governed by the Prison Act of 1894 and state-specific prison manuals.
• The judicial and district magistrate systems closely monitor prison administration.
• The central government interacts with state governments regarding prison administration, security, and appropriate security measures.
• Various committees, commissions, and working groups have been constituted by the Indian government to improve prison conditions and prisoner rehabilitation.
• Key committees include: All India Jail Manual Committee (1957), Working Group on Prisons (1972), All India Prison Reforms Committee (1980-83), R.K. Kapoor Committee (1986), National Expert Committee on Women Prisoners (Justice Krishna lyer Committee, 1987).

Model Prison Manual

• The Government of India has designed a model prison manual for Indian prisons providing standards for effective and efficient prison management.
• The Supreme Court of India has directed the Government of India to standardize prison law throughout India.
• Many states have not fully adopted the model prison manual.
• The parliamentary sub-committee on prison modernization has raised concerns about the adoption of the model prison manual.

Court Judgments

• The high courts and Supreme Court of India frequently issue rulings regarding prisoner conditions, prison rights and prison management.
• The Prison Bureau of Policy and Research Development (BPR&D) in 2000 compiled significant judgments about prison administration.
• These judgments are useful for prison officials and state governments, and are available on the BPR&D website.

Prison Reforms

• The Government of India has introduced/ recommended several prison reforms.
• These include initiatives like introducing sections 436A and 265A in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to help with liberalizing bail conditions, plea bargaining, modernizing prisons to reduce overcrowding, better hygienic conditions, and provisions for prison staff.
• There are several recommendations regarding the improvement in working conditions for prison staff and prisoners’ accommodations.
• The suggestions, recommendations, and court orders are reviewed and incorporated by the Indian government to ensure improvements.

Important Committee Observations

• States should reduce overcrowding in prisons and incorporate the provisions of the Model Prison Manual.
• Young offenders and under trials should be separated from other prisoners as this prevents hardened criminals from influencing them.
• The Model Prison Manual Section 436A, 436(i), and 265-265L (CrPC, 1973) should be more effectively used to relieve overcrowding.
• The introduction of specific prisons for women and proper infrastructure should be followed, along with appropriate medical attention.
• Additional steps to prevent substance abuse within the prisons would be necessary for the welfare of prisoners.

Prison Administration

• Prison workshops should be improved to be more like industrial facilities.
• The daily wages for prisoners working in prison workshops should be increased.
• The government should support prison industries to improve prisoners’ skill and income, and enable a smooth transition following their release.
• Support should be given for programs to improve literacy and vocational training in prisons, and prepare inmates for self-employment.
• The government should consider the conversion of existing workshops to ITIs in prisons.
• Create posts for additional prison staff to fill current vacancies, including Jail Superintendents.
• The Government should encourage community service, forfeiture of property, compensation to victims as an alternative to imprisonment in minor cases.

Prison Staff

• The quality of staff impacts prison efficiency and effectiveness; better training and service conditions are required for skilled staff.
• Prison campuses should have amenities for staff, like community centers for staff and their families, recreational facilities.
• Training programs for prison staff should be updated and include elements such as physical training, correctional and custodial administration, gender sensitization.
• Increased access to refresher courses for staff at the national level is necessary, and this should take place at various training academies in each state.

Legal Aid and Facilities

• Legal aid and the establishment of an accessible legal aid cell in prisons should be encouraged.
• Lok Adalats, special courts should be regularly held to quickly process cases in the prisons. 

Women Prisoners

• There should be separate facilities for women prisoners whenever possible.
• Women prisoners and their children require assistance (medical, childcare, educational and recreational).
• These facilities need to be provided in prisons with support from NGOs and government agencies.

Medical Facilities

• The central prisons must have appropriate, properly equipped medical facilities.
• Medical facilities and staff training related to prison medical management should be improved.
• A proper medical examination program for inmates is necessary.