Women in Prison Report

As per latest data (2016), there are more than 433000 prisoners (114% of capacity) in India. The women prisoners are 4.2% (18500). For women, there are only 20 exclusive prisons housing 5000 women prisoners (29%) rest are housed in women enclosures in common jails. Women prisoners have specific requirements which needs and hence to study the state of women prisoners in India, Ministry of Women and Child Development conducted a study in 2015. The study made 134 recommendations.

Some of the Important Recommendations

• Additional arrangements be made prior to their imprisonment, women prisoners with care-giving responsibilities must be ensured. Frequent visits and meetings must be allowed between mother and child.
• Bail should be granted to those under-trial women who have spent one-third of their maximum possible sentence in detention.
• A separate accommodation for mothers in post-natal stage to maintain hygiene and protect the infant from contagion, for at least a year after childbirth.
• The report suggests that legal consultations must be conducted in confidentiality and without censorship.
• A comprehensive after-care programme to be put in place, covering employment, financial support, regaining of child custody, shelter, counseling, continuity of health care services, etc. Counseling should also be provided to family members.
• Keeping in mind the mental needs of prisoners it recommended that inmates should have access to female counselors/psychologists at least on a weekly basis or as frequently as needed by them.
• Adequate requirement of female staff be ensured.

The New Model Prison Manual, 2016 consists of the above recommendations.