Model Prison Act 2023

Source: The Hindu
GS II: Governance

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. 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

1. Provision for security assessment and segregation of prisoners, individual sentence planning,
2. Grievance redressal, prison development board, attitudinal change towards prisoners.
3. Provision of separate accommodation for women prisoners, transgender, etc.
4. Provision for the use of technology in prison administration to bring transparency to prison administration.
5. Provision for video conferencing with courts, scientific and technological interventions in prisons, etc.
6. Provision of punishment for prisoners and jail staff for use of prohibited items like mobile phones etc. in jails.
7. Provision regarding establishment and management of high-security jails, open jails (open and semi-open), etc.
8. Provision for protecting society from the criminal activities of hardened criminals and habitual offenders, etc.
9. Provision for legal aid to prisoners, provision of parole, furlough and premature release etc. to incentivise good conduct.
10. Focus on vocational training and skill development of prisoners and their reintegration into society.

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