Bengal government requested to set up more open prisons, improve existing ones

Kolkata: Highlighting the Sanganer open-air camp in Rajasthan as a “model open-prison”, the Government of West Bengal was requested by experts to pave the way for more open prisons and improve the existing ones to allow prisoners to be rehabilitated, reformed and re-integrated into the society.

At a Press conference, retired Justice Madan B. Lokur of Supreme Court of India said convicts with good behaviour for five years are generally considered for open prisons which gives them opportunity to look for jobs and re-integrate them into the society. On the question of prisoners escaping from such facilities, he said: “In the Sanganer open-air camp there has not been any instance so far of prisoners escaping. They realised if they get caught, they would have to return to regular prisons where conditions are appalling.” He added that many prisoners in open prisons have also successfully secured jobs in Rajasthan. It was claimed that the rate of recidivism (re-offending) is also negligible in open prisons.

It was Justice Lokur’s judgement where the apex court had directed state governments to take effective steps to set up open prisons in every district. Commenting on the Bengal scenario, Smita Chakraburtty, founder of PAAR- Prison Aid & Action Research, said Bengal has four open prisons with negligible number of prisoners.

“The first problem with open prisons here is they are too small. Secondly, prisoners are not allowed to live with family members. Third, the prison department looks for work for the prisoners which is difficult. In Sanganer open prison in Rajasthan, 450 prisoners stay with family members. They generate their own employment and the prison department does not need to look for jobs for them,” she said.

However, experts said due to lack of any uniform rule stating after how many years of imprisonment should states be sending convicts to open prisons, it varies from state to state. Several prisoners remain in regular prisons for a decade following which, depending on their age, they become physically incapable to look for employment.

The objective of reintegrating them into society is lost.