Model Prison Act 2023
Source: The Hindu
GS II: Governance
Overview
- News in Brief
- Features and focus of the new Model Prisons Act
Why in the News?
Tamil Nadu will soon replace its decades-old prison manual derived from the jail laws of the British era with a new set of rules that will be guided by the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, of 2023.
News in Brief
- According to a letter of the Union Home Secretary sent to all states and Union territories in May but uploaded to the home ministry website the ministry has finalised a progressive and comprehensive Model Prisons Act, 2023
- Aims to replace two pre-independence era laws namely, The Prisons Act of 1894 and The Prisoners Act of 1900.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs assigned the task of revision of the Prisons Act, of 1894 to the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
- The Bureau, after holding wide-ranging discussions with State Prison authorities, correctional experts etc. prepared a draft.
About the Present Prison Act
- The present ‘Prisons Act, of 1894’ is a pre-independence era Act and is almost 130 years old.
- The Act mainly focuses on keeping criminals in custody and enforcement of discipline and order in prisons.
- There is no provision for reform and rehabilitation of prisoners in the existing Act.
Features and focus of the new Model Prisons Act
- Provision for security assessment and segregation of prisoners, individual sentence planning,
- Grievance redressal, prison development board, attitudinal change towards prisoners.
- Provision of separate accommodation for women prisoners, transgender, etc.
- Provision for the use of technology in prison administration to bring transparency to prison administration.
- Provision for video conferencing with courts, scientific and technological interventions in prisons, etc.
- Provision of punishment for prisoners and jail staff for use of prohibited items like mobile phones etc. in jails.
- Provision regarding establishment and management of high-security jails, open jails (open and semi-open), etc.
- Provision for protecting society from the criminal activities of hardened criminals and habitual offenders, etc.
- Provision for legal aid to prisoners, provision of parole, furlough and premature release etc. to incentivise good conduct.
- Focus on vocational training and skill development of prisoners and their reintegration into society.
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