Convicted Women

 

The general types of Jail Institutions in the State are Central Jails, District Jails and Sub Jails and the other types of jail establishments are Women Jails, Open Jails and Special Jails. Kerala has 42 jails (3 central prisons, 2 open prisons, 2 district jails, 5 special jails 28 sub jails and 1 women prison). The total capacity of various jails to accommodate female prisoners is 465. Available data shows that 211 women prisoners are there in various jails in the state, of them 154 women are Under Trial prisoners and 57 are convicted prisoners. In Kerala there is only one women prison which is situated in Neyyattinkara, the southern most part of Kerala.

 

In December, 1993 a comprehensive report was submitted by the Kerala Jail Reforms Committee headed by Shri. A.P Udayabhanu. This Committee has Submitted recommendations for the improvement of living conditions in prison, medical treatment etc.  Government have accepted the recommendations in principle and decided to implement the recommendations in a phased manner.

 

Some of the key points in the recommendations forwarded by the Committee are,

 

The Women’s prison, Neyyattinkara should be abolished, as the location of it is unsuited. Women annexes is separate enclosures be established in the Central Prisons and District jails and separate wards or blocks in the sub jails for keeping the women prisoners. The care and custody of the women prisoners should be entrusted with women personnel. Regular female wardens should be appointed instead of the contingent female wardens on daily wages. Different categories of women prisoners should be segregated, according to the nature of the offence. There should be provision made in the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1987 for dealing with the persons responsible for the sexual offences. The practice of arrest, custody, charge sheeting of women found under “suspicious circumstances” under the Kerala Police Act should be dispensed with and instead such persons be sent to short stay homes for arranging their reassimilation in the society. The services and establishments   under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act should also be brought under the umbrella of correctional services in order to exercise proper control and supervision for arranging the social rehabilitation of all the Social Offenders or wrong doers. Children admitted to prisons along with the mothers should be arranged to be sent to Government aided orphanages, charitable homes for being maintained there for such period till parents or relatives come forward to receive them. Facilities for the proper medical examination and treatment of women found suffering from sexually transmitted diseases should be well provided.

 

Rehabilitation

 

Corrections India and Aswas Bhavan

 

Corrections India is a registered non-profitable organization working for the welfare of prisoners and family for the past twenty years. This organization aims at the prevention control and correction through moral teachings and rehabilitation.

The organization was started in 1987 with its national head office at Pampady, Kottayam Kerala state. Mr. Joseph Mathew, the founder, started this organization with a vision to lift prisoners and their family to the main stream of the society. Main function of the organization is to create a better future for prisoners' children. Corrections India believes that all children have a right to be happy healthy. Children especially without a family are often deprived of their most basic rights. It is the prime objective behind the formation of Aswasa bhavan.

Corrections India Movement undertake

 

Counselling to prisoners

Every week Corrections India team visits prisons and arranges Counselling to prisoners for de-addiction on alcohol and drugs.

 

Moral instructions to prisoners and family

 
They visit all the prisons of the state and gives moral instructions to the prisoners. Once in a month they conduct special musical programmes, film shows and entertainment programmes with a moral message for them and conduct special training programmes and seminars for the prison officers and officials too.

 

Rehabilitation of prisoners and family

Prisoner's family deserves special care and attention.  Organization provide them shelter and guidance and support for their daily living and provide rehabilitation for women prisoners. When the main bread earner is in the prison they arrange rehabilitation and provisions for their family too.