NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma made recommendations during a seminar to discuss provisions that impact the welfare of female inmates in prisons.
By Rahul Gautam: The National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rakha Sharma made several recommendations for the welfare of female inmates in prisons. Apart from recommending proper sanitation and hygiene facilities for women jail inmates, the NCW chief asked state director generals (DG) and inspector generals (IG) of prisons to explore the possibility of more open prisons and halfway homes for female prisoners.
Rekha Sharma made recommendations during a seminar ‘Police Administration in Light of the Rights of Women Prisoners’ to discuss provisions that impact the welfare of female inmates in prisons. The meeting was attended by around 16 DGs/IGs of Prisons and representatives from states across the country along with officials from Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DLSA), NGOs and academia.
Open Prison
An open prison can be described as any state establishment wherein prisoners serve their sentence with minimal supervision and perimeter security and are not locked up in prison cells like regular jails. The concept of open jails is based on principles of self-discipline.
Experts opine that via such open jails, if managed properly, a state can reform human resources, and help them to rehabilitate in mainstream society.
Women inmates statistics
According to the latest figures available from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of female prisoners in India at the end of the year 2021 was 22,918, while the capacity of the 32 existing women’s jails in the country is enough to accommodate only 6,767 prisoners.
Among the 22,918 female prisoners, 1,650 women inmates had their children with them on the jail premises. Out of 22,918 female inmates, 1,418 inmates along with 1,601 children were under-trial prisoners, the NCRB data indicated. This means that some women inmates have more than one child with them. The NCRB data further pointed out that 216 were convicted prisoners along with 246 children.
As per the data, Uttarakhand has reported the highest female occupancy rate (178.8%) followed by Bihar (152.3%) and Chhattisgarh (147.6%). However, the highest number of female inmates were confined in the jails of Uttar Pradesh (4,995), followed by Bihar (3,067) and Madhya Pradesh (1,892).
The data says 1,319 prisons in the country consist of 564 sub jails, 424 district jails, 148 central jails, 88 open jails, 41 special jails, 32 women’s jails, 19 borstal schools and three other than the above jails. Special jails, women’s jails and open Jails had a capacity of 7,473; 6,767 and 5,953 inmates respectively as of December 31, 2021.
During the meeting, Rekha Sharma called on the Director General (DGs) of Prisons to facilitate the economic rehabilitation and reintegration of these women with their families and society after their release from prison.
Mental Health
The suggestions included hiring more prison staffers, focusing on the mental health problems faced by inmates, and addressing the infrastructure problems in prisons. According to NCRB data, there is a 22 per cent increase in mentally ill inmates in the country, who often fail to cope with the pressures of the jail system.
The recommendations also included facilitating more in-person meetings of inmates with their family members, providing recreational facilities for the inmates, exploring the possibility of more open prisons and halfway homes, and looking into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for inmates’ welfare.
The meeting covered a wide range of topics, including the overcrowding in prisons, the availability of proper sanitation and hygiene facilities for women prisoners, and appointing trained and sensitive staff, particularly female officers, and guards in these prisons.
As part of its mandate, the NCW examines various jails nationwide, paying close attention to ensuring the rights of female prisoners.
