Prison System

1. The Indian Prison System
• An In-depth Overview of Structure, Challenges, and Reform Measures

2. Introduction
• • The Indian prison system forms a vital component of the country’s criminal
justice framework.
• • It aims to ensure the safe custody, discipline, and reformation of offenders.
• • India’s prisons are governed by the Prisons Act of 1894, one of the oldest laws
still in use.
• • Over time, focus has shifted from punishment to correction, rehabilitation, and
reintegration.

3. Historical Evolution
• • The modern prison system in India began during British colonial rule.
• • The 1836 Prison Discipline Committee recommended uniformity and better
management.
• • The Indian Jails Committee (1919–1920) emphasized reformation, education, and
humane treatment.
• • Post-independence, several committees like the All India Jail Manual Committee
(1957–59) and the Mulla Committee (1980–83) proposed comprehensive reforms.

4. Administrative Framework
• • ‘Prisons’ is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian
Constitution.
• • The State Governments manage prisons through their respective Home
Departments.
• • The Ministry of Home Affairs coordinates between States, issues policy
guidelines, and funds modernization projects.
• • The Director General (DG) or Inspector General (IG) of Prisons heads the state
prison administration.

5. Classification of Prisons in India
• • Central Prisons – House prisoners sentenced to long terms of imprisonment
(over 2 years).
• • District Prisons – Function as main prisons for districts without central jails.
• • Sub-Jails – Smaller facilities for short-term or undertrial prisoners.
• • Open Prisons – Encourage reformation through self-discipline and work without
bars.
• • Women’s Jails – Cater specifically to female prisoners.
• • Borstal Schools – For young offenders (juveniles) emphasizing education and
training.

6. Prison Population and Key Statistics
• • India houses over 5.5 lakh prisoners as per recent NCRB reports.
• • Around 75% of inmates are undertrials awaiting trial or bail.
• • The national occupancy rate exceeds 120%, leading to overcrowding.
• • States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar report the highest prison
populations.
• • Female prisoners constitute roughly 4% of the total prison population.

7. Rehabilitation and Correctional
Programs
• • Rehabilitation programs include vocational training, education, and psychological
counseling.
• • Inmates are trained in skills like carpentry, tailoring, gardening, and handicrafts.
• • NGOs and social welfare departments collaborate for post-release rehabilitation.
• • Spiritual and moral education programs are also encouraged to promote
behavioral reform.

8. Major Challenges in the Indian
Prison System
• • Severe overcrowding due to high undertrial population.
• • Poor living conditions and inadequate healthcare facilities.
• • Shortage of trained prison staff and mental health professionals.
• • Limited legal aid and slow judicial processes.
• • Social stigma after release, affecting reintegration into society.

9. Prison Reforms in India
• • **Model Prison Manual (2016):** Introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs to
ensure humane conditions, reformative measures, and use of technology.
• • **E-Prisons Project:** Aims at digitizing prisoner data and improving prison
management systems.
• • **Supreme Court Interventions:** Various judgments uphold prisoner rights
(e.g., Sunil Batra v. Delhi Administration, 1980).
• • **Mulla Committee Recommendations:** Emphasized training of prison staff,
open prisons, and improved living conditions.
• • **Justice Krishna Iyer Committee (1987):** Stressed human rights, reformation,
and community-based corrections.
• • Promotion of non-custodial measures like probation, parole, and community
service.

10. Conclusion
• • The Indian prison system is evolving from a punitive to a reformative model.
• • Reforms must focus on decongestion, human rights protection, and
rehabilitation.
• • Effective coordination between judiciary, police, and prison authorities is
essential.
• • A humane, reform-oriented approach can ensure justice, dignity, and social
reintegration of prisoners.

11. Thank You
• Submitted by :-
• Pranjal Srivastava