Jail Reforms

Introduction

In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, it was critical that the public be allowed to visit prisons and other correctional institutions on a regular basis so that they could get first-hand information about conditions inside prisons and be willing to work with prison officials on rehabilitation projects. In this regard, the All-India Committee on Jail Reforms, chaired by Justice A. N. Mulla, conducted a study on the conditions of women prisoners in India from 1980 to 1983. 

Suggestions of Mulla Committee: 

• The condition of prisons across the country should be improved by making adequate arrangements for clothing, sanitation, food, ventilation etc. 
• The staff of the prison should be appropriately trained and organised into different cadres. It would be advisable to create an All-India Service called the Indian Prisons & Correctional Service for the recruitment of Prison officials across the nation. 
• After-care, rehabilitation and probation should constitute an essential part of prison service. Regrettably, probation law is not being properly implemented in the country. 
• The lodging of undertrials in prison should be lowered to a bare minimum, and they should be kept separate from the other convicted prisoners. Since under trials represent a sizable portion of the prison population, their number can be decreased by speedy trials and liberalisation of bail provisions. 
• The Government should make an Endeavour to provide adequate resources and funds for prison reforms.

Suggestions of Krishna Iyer Committee:

• In 1987, the Government of India appointed Justice Krishna Iyer the rights and duties of prisoners to be clearly spelt out. 
• It has recommended the induction of more women in the police force in view of their special role in tackling women and child offenders.
• The National Expert Committee on Women Prisoners headed by Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer submitted its report to the Government in February 1988.

Steps Taken by Government of India for Administration of Prison Reforms in India:

• The Government of India requested the State Government and different Union Territories to bring out changes so as to make proper administration of changes. 
• Various states, from time to time, have adopted such recommendations in their prison manuals. 
• These suggestions can be summed up as follows:

• To appoint Review Committees for the undertrial prisoner population at the district and state levels. 
• To provide legal assistance to indigent prisoners and to appoint whole-time or part-time law officers in prisons.
• To strictly follow the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, with regard to the limitations on time for investigation and inquiry.
• To formulate a time-bound programme for improvement in the living conditions of prisoners with priority attention to water supply, sanitary facilities, electrification and to send it to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for approval.
• To develop the programmes of training, education systematically, and work in prisons.
• To establish a State Board of Visitors to visit prisons at regular periodicity and to report on circumstances prevailing in the prisons for consideration of the State Government.