Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, spoke about the new prison laws at the 4th National Conference on “Women Officers in Prison Administration.” The event was organized by the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPRD) in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Kumar emphasized that these new laws aim to reform prisons with a more humanitarian approach, focusing on the rehabilitation of inmates.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for repealing old prison laws that were 130 years old and introducing the “Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act-2023.” According to Kumar, the previous laws were mainly about confining criminals, without considering a humanistic approach. He also mentioned that the responsibility for implementing these new laws lies with state governments.
Kumar urged state governments to improve prison management and make use of modern technology. He suggested using tools like biometric systems, CCTV, RFID, and video conferencing to make prison operations more transparent and secure. This, he said, would help in bringing about much-needed reforms.
One major issue that Kumar pointed out is overcrowding in prisons. He noted that around 75% of inmates are undertrial prisoners, meaning they haven’t been convicted yet. He stressed the importance of providing adequate support to these prisoners, especially under the new legal and technological systems. He also called for better healthcare, education, nutrition, and housing for women prisoners, and urged prison staff to adopt a more humanitarian approach to help with inmate rehabilitation.
To support prison reforms, the central government has allocated Rs 950 crore. This fund will be used to improve prison security and help poor prisoners who cannot afford to pay fines or bail bonds. Kumar also acknowledged the challenges faced by women officers working in prisons and praised their courage. He encouraged improving services for inmates to help them change for the better.
Kumar also discussed the importance of the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) and BPRD in improving the skills of police, prison staff, and judicial officials. So far, the BPRD has offered 325 courses on new criminal laws, trained 4,476 prison staff, and provided skill training for 23,772 women prisoners to help them find jobs after their release.
In conclusion, Kumar emphasized the need to integrate social and moral values in prisons. He also highlighted the importance of providing educational, recreational, and vocational training for inmates. Special measures are being taken to ensure the safety and rights of women prisoners, and ongoing reforms in prison administration continue under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.
