UNIT 2 PRISON MANUAL

Structure

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Objective
1.3 Model Prison Manual 1960
1.4 Draft Model Prison Manual 2003
1.5 Objectives of Draft Model Prison Manual 2003
1.6 The Substantive Provisions of the Draft Prison Manual 2003
1.7 Summary
1.8 Terminal Questions
1.9 References and Suggested Readings

1.1 INTRODUCTION

General apathy towards the prisons and the prisoners on the part of the
government is responsible for the various problems relating to prisoners
and prison administration. The majority of the prisons in India are
characterized by the overcrowding, sub-human conditions of living,
custodial death, inadequate medical facilities, corruption, etc.
Overcrowding affects overall quality life in prisons and makes the task to
maintain human dignity, safety and security of prisoners and prison staff
all the more difficult.

Various Committees, constituted to suggest reforms with respect to the

prison and the prisoners, have highlighted the problems of prison
administration. The State Prisons Act and the Prison Manual are the
main legislation governing prison and the prisoners. The day-to-day
administration of prisons in all the states and union territories of India
are governed by the respective Jail Manuals containing the Rules,
Regulations, Orders and the various amendments thereto inserted on a
regular basis. At the implementation level these legislations are found to
be inadequate reason being the fact that the same are based on the age
old Prison Act of 1894.

1.2 OBJECTIVES

The Objective of this Unit is to give factual information about the

document i.e., Prison Manual. The readers would be able to know about
the existing scenario on the subject of Prison Manual. The salient
features of the Model Prison Manual drafted in 1960 and the draft Model
Prison Manual, 2003 prepared by the Bureau of Police Research and
Development will give the students an insight into the objectives of
formulating the Model Prison Manuals.

1.3 MODEL PRISON MANUAL 1960

The government of India appointed All India Jail Manual Committee in

1857 The Model Prison Manual, which came into existence on 1960. The
Model Prison Manual of 1960 becomes a model for different States and
Union Territories of India for adopting their new prison manual.

The Prison Manual of 1960 contains following provisions:-

ƒ Recruitment/selection of prison staff

ƒ Staff discipline

ƒ Staff welfare

ƒ Admission of an inmate’s segregation preparation for adjustment to

the Institution

ƒ Reception units

ƒ Quarantine

ƒ Study of prisoners

ƒ Social education, work, recreation

ƒ Classification of inmates:

Some basic features of the Model Prison Manual are discussed below.
The Model Prison Manual is consists of 6 parts and 54 chapters. Part one
deals with issues like: Headquarters organization and Prison
infrastructure. Accordingly, the Prison and Correctional services shall be
under the control of the Home Department. The organizational set-up of
the prison head-quarters shall be headed by a Inspector General (IG) and
the IG to be assisted by around twenty types of subordinate officers
including Deputy I.G., Prison Superintendent, Correctional Officers. The
power and function of the I.G., and other subordinate officers are
specifically recognized in the Model Prison Manual. The Model Prison
Manual recognized the importance of the reasonable diversification of
prison institution like, separate institution for delinquent children,
adolescent Offenders, habitual, professional and organized criminals,
women offenders, Leprosy unit, TB unit, under trial prisoners, Sub-jail
and open institutions. It has suggested the establishment of central
prison for inmates up to 750 specifically for the offenders sentenced for
terms of imprisonment exceeding two years. District prisons to be
established for offenders convicted under minor offences and the total
population inside the district prison shall not to be more than the
specified capacity. The Model Prison Manual enumerates number of
facilities for the Prisoners. These are like: education, work, technical and
vocational training, cultural activities, leave and emergency release,
sanitation and hygiene, diet, aftercare and rehabilitation. The Model
Prison Manual provides for physical, health, academic, social, vocational,
moral and cultural education of inmates and suggested a detail course
curriculum for the same. In the other hand, it has strongly recommended
that the prison work and training programme should be fundamentality
integrated with safe and national economic policies and suggested for
payment of appropriate wages to prison workers. The Manual has
highlighted that the cultural and recreational opportunities should be
extended to inmates in accordance with their institutional behavior and
response to institutional regimes. After care and rehabilitation under the
Model Prison Manual is aimed to help a released person to over come his
mental, social and economic difficulties. The Model Prison Manual
further classified the inmates on the basis of gender, age, punishment,
stage of criminal proceeding and nature of crime etc. It helps for a better
prison administration and management. An analysis of the basic
provisions of the Model Prison Manual shows that it not only enunciate
principles for an efficient management of prisons but also lay down
scientific guidelines for correctives treatment of various classes of
offenders.

The Model Prison Manual of 1960 talks about the constitution of

Classification it further provides that Committee for the classification of
inmates shall select the prisoners on the basis of age, length of sentence,
criminal behaviour, urban rural back ground, the prospects for the
rehabilitation of the prisoner after his release, it also talks about the
chalking out of the institutional training and treatment programme.

The provisions of the Manual has also laid down about rights of the
prisoners it takes into account the basic need of the prisoners i.e.,
bedding, clothing, legal facilities, hygiene, sanitation, work wages,
medical facilities, diet, calories to be given to prisoners, the transfer of
prisoner another place on medical ground and facility to prisoner
desiring to file appear appeal in their cases. It favours the release of the
prisoner on remission, leave and also emergency release. A remission is a
concession which can be granted to prisoners by the State government/
inspector General of Prisons/ Superintendent of Police as the case may
be. Remission is not claimed as a matter of right. It is an incentive for
good behaviour and the work done. The very object of release of
prisoner’s on leave is to enable the inmate to maintain continuity with
his family members and relatives. The provisions for Review of Sentence
are also made it says that the cases of women offender, adolescent
prisoners and non-habitual women offender should be reviewed when the
undergone is three years or more. The cases of life convicts and habitual
offenders be reviewed after five years.

After-care and rehabilitation of the prisoners should also be made to help

and support the inmate in the smooth adjustment of the with the family
and society.

But, the fact remains the same that the Model Prison Manual of 1960 is
old and looking at the present scenario it lacks broad human right issues
and judicial guidelines recognizing the basic human rights. In order that
the Model Prison Manual has served as an effective guideline for the
development of state prison manual in different states and Union
Territories it need numerous changes. The Model Prison Manual of 1960
served as effective guidelines for the development of State Prison Manual.
Thereafter no efforts were made to formulate the Model Prison Manual on
the line of model penological thinking.

Please answer the following Self Assessment Question.

Self Assessment Question 1

What are the main features of the Model Prison Manual 1960?
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1.4 DRAFT MODEL PRISON MANUAL 2003

Like many other revolutionary steps with respect to the prison and the
prisoners the judiciary also recognized the importance of Model Prison
Manual. The judiciary in the case of Ramamurthy vs. State of Karnataka
(1996) had emphasized the urgent need for bringing uniformity in laws
relating to prisons and directed the central and state governments to
formulate a new Model Prison Manual.

A "Model Prison Manual" was prepared as far back as 1970 and

circulated to all States. The Mulla Committee noted that this had not
been adopted and the position has not changed since than.

The Bureau for Police Research and Development (BPR&D) constituted a

Model Prison Manual Committee at the National level for the formulation
of the Model Prison Manual in 2000. Earlier the All India Committee on
Jail Reforms 1980-83 also observed that the Model Prison Manual 1960
was not adopted and it also urged for the uniformity in the prison laws.
Presently, the prisons department of the Bureau of Police Research &
Development [BPR&D] is relying on Article 252 of the Constitution of
India, which provides the Parliament of India to legislate for two or more
states by consent and adoption of such legislation by any other state.

The Model Prison Manual Committee constituted various working

groups, each with a given agenda. The groups would dealt with
``Organisational Structure'', ``Living Conditions of Prisoners'',
``Undertrials, Detenus and High-Security Prisoners'', ``Remittances of
Sentences, Open Institutions and Young Offendors'', ``Prison Discipline,
Women Prisoners and Visitors'' and, finally, ``Correctional Programmes''.
The research materials relied upon by the Committee included the review
of the existing laws, rules and regulations governing prisons and a
comparative analysis of the provisions of the State Prison Manuals. A
thorough study of the recommendations made by the All India
Committee on Jail Reforms, Supreme Court Judgments and various
international instruments on the treatment of prisoners to which India is
a party was also done. By identifying the gaps in the provision of State
Prison Manuals, the Model Prison Manual aims to bridge those gaps. The
draft was further circulated among all the states and union territories to
bring out their comments and suggestions. The final draft circulated to
the States takes into account the constitutional provisions, Supreme
Court judgments and the international instruments to which India is
Signatory. The Draft Model Prison Manual sets standards for
construction of prisons and provides for proper maintenance of prisoners
in the form of specifying the nutritional aspects of diet, which the state
governments are supposed to follow. A review of some of the State
Manuals shows that there is a need to revise the prison offences. The
Manual brings out the role clarity for prison staff. It has been observed
by the draft Committee that most of the State Prison Manuals have
neglected the area of women prisoners and their children and thus set
out the provisions for this special class of the prisoners.

The terms of references of the Commiittee were:-

™ To review the laws, rules and regulations governing the

management of prisons, treatment of prisoners and to make
recommendations for devising good practices and procedures on
the basis of comparative analysis of the provisions of the States
Prison Manuals by identifying gaps in their provisions for
managing and administering prisons.

™ To examine various aspects relating to treatment of prisoners with

special reference to their basic minimum needs compatible to the
dignity of human life in the light of the recommendations made by
the All India Committee on Jail Reforms (1980-83), Supreme Court
Judgments and various international instruments to which India is
a party.

™ To look into the procedure regarding the internal management of

prisons with a view to uphold the rights of the prisoners and the
development of prison staff in terms of custody, security
institutional discipline, institutional programmes for the
specialized treatment of women, adolescents, children and
mentally sick person, staff recruitment and training and to suggest
measures with a view to develop prisons as correctional
institutions.

™ To scrutinize and analyse the implications of the proposed Prison

Management Bill being finalised by the Ministry of Home Affairs,
Government of India.

™ To finalise the draft of Model Prison Manual by evolving national

consensus on the relevant issues relating to Prison Reforms in
India.

™ Any other matter relating to management of prison administration

that the committee may like to consider.

Please answer the following Self Assessment Question.

Self Assessment Question 1

Under which department the Model Prison Manual Committee was
constituted?
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In which year the Model Prison Manual Committee was constituted?

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1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE DRAFT PRISON MANUAL 2003

The Model Prison Manual Committee has been observed that there exist
a wide gap with regards to the purpose and objectives (reformation and
rehabilitation of the prisoners) of the imprisonment. For developing
prison system in the country as an effective instrument for the
reformation and rehabilitation of offenders the draft Model Prison
Manual has been drawn with a view to:

™ Rationalize the prison system as a whole.

™ Provide the outline for the Department of Prisons and Correctional

Services.

™ Lay down the structural framework for the proper prison

administration and treatment of prisoners.

™ Spell out the minimum standards of institutional services for the

care, protection, treatment, education, training and resocialisation
of incarcerated offenders.

™ To evolve procedure for the protection of human rights of the

prisoners.

™ Individualize the institutional treatment of the prisoners as per

their correctional requirement, behavioural pattern, etc., and to
provide scientific basis for the treatment of special categories of
prisoners like young offenders, women prisoners and high security
prisoners.
 ™ To establish co-ordination between the Department of Prisons and
Correctional Services and other components of the criminal justice
system.

™ To establish link between the prison programmes and community

based welfare institutions to achieve the object of reformation and
rehabilitation of prisoners.

™ To bring the basic uniformity in laws, rules and regulations

governing the administration of prisons and the management of
prisoners.

Please answer the following Self Assessment Question.

Self Assessment Question 1

What are the objectives of Model Prison Manual 2003?

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1.6 THE SUBSTANTIVE PROVISIONS OF THE DRAFT PRISON

MANUAL

The Model Prison Manual as drafted by the Committee constituted by the

BPR&D has dealt with various issues in details. It contains 28 chapters
on following subject matters i.e., institutional framework, headquarters
organization, Institutional Personnel, Custodial Management,
Maintenance of Prisoners, Medical Care, Contacts with the Out Side
World, Transfer of Prisoners, Execution of Sentences, Prisoners
Sentenced to Death, Emergencies, Education of Prisoners, Vocational
Training and Work Programmes, Welfare of Prisoners, Remission, Leave
an Special Leave, Premature Release, Prison Discipline, After Care and
Rehabilitation, Open Institutions, Under-trial Prisoners, High Security
Prisoners, Women Prisoners, Young Offenders, Board of Visitors Staff
Development and Misllaneous
Prisoners
The provisions of draft manual talks about the rights and duties of the
prisoners and also for the reformation and rehabilitation of the prisoners.
It provides that the prisoners are allowed to maintain contact with the
outside world and for that purpose reasonable facilities for interviews
and letters be provided to them. Interview with Prisoners in the Same
Prison or outside the prison if they are related to the each other by way
of blood, marriage be permitted subject to the rules. Suitable waiting
rooms may be provided in every prison to enable visitors to wait their
turn for interview. The Caloric value of the food to be served to the
prisoners, safe drinking water to be supplied to the prisoners

Rights and Duties of Prisoners

The structure of rights and duties of the prisoners as suggested by the

All India Committee on Jail Reforms, 1980-83 were accepted by the draft
model prison manual committee under the following headings.

Rights of the Prisoners

ƒ Right to Human Dignity

ƒ Right to Basic Minimum Need’s

ƒ Right to Communication

ƒ Right to Access to Law

ƒ Right against Arbitrary Prison Punishment

ƒ Right to Meaningful and Gainful Employment

ƒ Right to be released on the due date.

The Duties of the Prisoners

ƒ To obey all lawful orders and instructions issued by the competent

prison authorities;

ƒ To abide by all prison rules and regulations and perform

obligations imposed by these rules and regulations;

ƒ To maintain the prescribed standards of cleanliness and hygiene;

ƒ To respect the dignity and the right to live of every inmate, prison
staff and functionary;
 ƒ To abstain from hurting religious feelings, beliefs and faiths of
other persons;

ƒ To use Government property with care and not to damage or

destroy the same negligently or wilfully;

To help prison officials in the performance of their duties at all times and
maintain discipline and order;

Please answer the following Self Assessment Question.

Self Assessment Question 1

Specify the rights of the prisoners provided under Model Prison Manual ?
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Training and Treatment of Prisoners

The draft manual envisages that special emphasis should be given on a

studied evaluation of individual offender’s personality and careful
planning of training and treatment programmes, to suit the needs of
each inmate. Training and treatment shall include education, work and
vocational training, recreational and cultural activities, discipline, case-
work approach, group work activities, group guidance, individual
guidance, counseling, character building, periodical review, release
planning, prerelease preparation, after-care on a comprehensive basis,
and follow-up study. The personal influence of the members of the
prison staff will have considerable bearing on the reformation of young
offenders. The reception centers/reception units be established for this
purpose. There should be separate institutions for young offenders, to be
called Reception Centres and Kishore/Yuva Sadans. There should be
separate reception centres for young female offenders.

Visiting System
The draft manual recognize the importance of the visiting system and
specifies the role of Board of Visitors. It provides that the task of the
Board of Visitors shall include:

ƒ Monitoring the Correctional work in Prisons, with special attention

to the degree and quality of training and the effectiveness of
infrastructure/facilities in the Prisons.

ƒ Suggesting new avenues leading to improvement in correctional

work.

ƒ Going into individual or collective grievances of Prisoners and

providing redressal in consultation with the Prison authorities.

The Board of Visitors shall also comprise the following Non-Official

Members:-
ƒ Three Members of the Legislative Assembly of the state of which
one should be a woman.

ƒ A nominee of the State Commission for Women.

ƒ Two social workers of the District/Sub-Division of whom one shall

be a woman

The duties of Visitors includes: All Visitors, official and non-official, at

every visit shall:

ƒ Examine the cooked food

ƒ Inspect the barracks, wards, work-sheds and other buildings of the

prison generally;

ƒ Ascertain whether considerations of health, cleanliness and

security are attended to, whether proper management and
discipline is maintained in every respect and whether any prisoner
is illegally detained, or is detained for undue length of time while
awaiting trial;

ƒ Examine prison registers and records, except secret records and

records pertaining to accounts;

ƒ Hear and attend to all representation and petitions made by or on

behalf of the prisoners; and

ƒ Direct, if deemed advisable, that any such representation or

petition be forwarded to the Government.
Construction of Prisons

The draft Model Prison Manual provides that the State Government or
the Union Territory Administration will establish sufficient numbers of
prisons, as far as possible, and provide minimum needs essential to
maintain standards of living in consonance with human dignity. Prisons
will ensure that prisoners retain all their rights as human beings within
the limitations of imprisonment. The details have been given regarding
prison architect for constructing prison building, barracks, housing, cell,
latrine, kitchen, hospital bathing place.

The provisions of draft manual emphasis on the fact that the prisons will
have to ensure separation of the following categories of prisoners: a)
Women (b) Young offenders (c) Under-trials (d) Convicts (e) Civil prisoners
(f) Detenues (g) High security prisoners. The prisons' regime will prepare
prisoners to lead a law-abiding, self-supporting, reformed and socially
rehabilitated life. The draft manual talks about the establishment of
diversified institutions to be set up by each State/Union Territory
according to its requirements.

The provisions regarding the Accommodation and Ventilation are well

formulated. The capacity of wards, the colouring on the walls, and
plantation of tree are well taken care of. The draft manual talks about
the establishment and maintenance of gardens in each prison to have a
salutary effect on the minds of prisoners. This is something new which
were not there earlier. The draft manual puts emphasis on the
cleanliness of the prisons to prevent occurrence of diseases and puts
responsibility regarding the same on the Medical Officer and Health
Officer to bring to the notice of the concerned prison official for the same.
It prohibits the construction of sewages drains to prevent injurious
conditions in the prison neighbourhood.

It also talks about the institutional personnel and lays down that it will
comprise of: Executive, Medical personnel, Welfare Units, Educational
Personnel, Technical Personnel and Agricultural personnel, guiding
personnel, medical personnel, educational personnel, technical personnel
The details regarding the duties of these personnel’s are also laid down.
Service conditions of prison personnel will be such as to secure and retain the best-suited
and qualified persons.
Efforts will be made to enlist community participation in effective
administration of prison programmes.
Medical Facilities

The draft manual talks about providing hospitals with in the prisons. The
prison hospitals as suggested by the draft manual may be of Types ‘A’
and 'B'. Big hospitals, with 50 beds and above shall be called 'A' type
hospitals. Other hospitals, with less than 50 beds, shall be called ‘B’ type
hospitals. The staff and equipment for the two types of hospital shall be
sufficiently provided. The general duties of the Chief Medical Officer/
Medical Officer (In Charge) shall cover every matter connected with the
health of the prisoners, their treatment when sick, and the sanitation
and hygiene of the prison. The daily visit by the medical officer to the
prison, special need of the aged person and treatment of drug addicts are
recommended. The duties of the assistant surgeon are well defined in the
draft, the provisions are also laid down for the hospital diet of the
prisoners, vaccination of the prisoner on admission.

Education

The education is required for the harmonious and all round development
of human faculties—mental as well as physical. Like any other individual
the education is necessary for the prisoners also. It is a tool by which the
knowledge, character and behaviour of the inmate can be moulded. The
emphasis is on the social, moral, cultural and spiritual education. It also
provides for that meditation therapy be used to erase the memory of past
bad experiences among prisoners. It helps a prisoner to adjust to the
social environment and his ultimate resettlement in society

The draft manual observed that the objective behind educational

programmes in prisons should be to channelise prisoners’ energies into
constructive and creative pursuits, instilling in them a sense of
confidence, developing amongst them social responsibility and
consciousness, fostering amongst them habits and attitudes necessary
for adjusting in the community, creating amongst them an awareness of
the futility of leading a criminal life and uplifting them morally, mentally
and socially. A comprehensive educational programme in a prison should
aim at:

(i) providing opportunities to the illiterate inmates to achieve at

least a certain minimum level of education,
(ii) extending facilities to literate inmates to advance their
educational standards,
(iii) developing a better understanding of the duties and
obligations of a citizen,
 (iv) improving the attitude of inmates towards society and
fostering a desire to live as good citizens,
(v) assisting the development of good social and ethical habits
and attitudes so that the inmates may properly adjust their
lives in the community,
(vi) helping them to improve their personalities and ability for
social adjustment through individual and group guidance in
social living,
(vii) developing a point of view which will make the futility of a
criminal way of life apparent to the inmates, making them
aware of the advantages of a law abiding life,
(viii) stimulating sustained interest and effort towards self-
improvement, and
developing social consciousness and a sense of social responsibility and
obligations

Agriculture

The draft manual envisages that following infrastructural facilities in

terms of agriculture should be made available to the prisoners:

(i) Agriculture, agro-based industries and other allied activities

should be given high priority in the planned development of work
programmes and vocational training in correctional institutions.
(ii) The land available with an institution should be thoroughly
surveyed in terms of soil analysis, availability, fertility, salinity,
and requirement of drainage, so that it is put to optimum use. The
help of Block Development Officers, officers of the State Agriculture
Department and other allied agencies should be taken in this
regard.
(iii) Each new prison building in rural areas should have a properly
fenced farm wherever land for this purpose is available.
(iv) It should be ensured that proper irrigation facilities are available at
the farmland.
(v) The required building structure should be constructed on each
farm and internal roads should be laid.
(vi) All required farming equipment and spare parts should be made
available at each farm. A maintenance shop should also be set up
in large farms.
(vii) Prisoners detailed for labour at agricultural farms should be
distributed at various places in the farm by forming groups, with a
leader nominated for each group.
(viii) Guidelines should be issued by the Prison Headquarters stating
the eligibility criteria of an inmate who may be deployed on open
agricultural farms.
(ix) The subsidy available to the farmers for purchasing fertiliser,
equipment and electricity should also be made available to prison
farms.
(x) Adequate funds should be provided for development of agriculture
and allied activities and its accounts should be maintained
separately.
(xi) Requisite security personnel should be provided at each
agricultural unit and their duties and responsibilities should be
clearly laid down.
(xii) The farm products should be first consumed in the prison and the
remaining should be sold to the government departments and in
the open market.
(xiii) The efficiency of each unit should be evaluated annually in terms
of the targets fixed and achieved.
(xiv) The number of prisoners employed in farming activities in closed
prisons should not exceed 5% of total prison population.
(xv) Prison personnel should be imparted training in various aspects of
agricultural and allied activities.
(xvi) Bio-gas plants, windmills, solar-cooking ranges, etc., should be
introduced in the prison farms.
(xvii) Costing of agricultural and other produce should be done on strict
commercial basis.
(xviii) Open agricultural institutions, and institutions having attached
agricultural farms, should diversify work programmes according to
cropping schemes such as mixed farming, irrigated crops, dry
farming, etc. In some open prisons work can be diversified into
agricultural activity, industrial units and agro-based production
units.

Remission

The remission system aims at the reformation of a prisoner. The draft

manual envisages a scheme which is intended to ensure prison discipline
and good conduct on the part of the prisoners, and to encourage them to
learning and better work culture, with the prospect of their early release
from prison as an incentive. The remission is intended to be an incentive
for good behaviour and work. It should be granted on the basis of an
inmate’s behaviour, work and general response to various institutional
activities. It talks about the following types of remission system:

ƒ Ordinary remission
ƒ Special remission
ƒ State government Remission
Leave And Special Leave

Leave and special leave to inmates are progressive measures of

correctional services. The release of a prisoner on leave not only saves
him from the evils of incarceration but also enables him to maintain
social relations with his family and the community. It also helps him
maintain and develop a sense of self-confidence. Continued contacts
with family and the community sustain in him a hope for life. The
provisions for grant of leave should be liberalized to help a prisoner
maintain a harmonious relationship with his family. The privilege of
leave should, of course, be allowed to selective prisoners on the basis of
well-defined norms of eligibility and propriety.

The objectives of releasing a prisoner on leave are:

(i) To enable the inmate to maintain continuity with his

family life and deal with family matters,
(ii) To save him from the evil effects of continuous prison
life,
(iii) To enable him to maintain and develop his self-
confidence,
(iv) To enable him to develop constructive hope and active
interest in life.

Premature Release

The primary objective underlying premature release is reformation of

offenders and their rehabilitation and integration into the society, while
at the same time ensuring the protection of society from criminal
activities. These two aspects are closely interlinked. Incidental to the
same is the conduct, behaviour and performance of prisoners while in
prison. These have a bearing on their rehabilitative potential and the
possibility of their being released by virtue of remission earned by them,
or by an order granting them premature release. The most important
consideration for pre-mature release of prisoners is that they have
become harmless and useful member of a civilised society. For the
purpose of recommending the pre-mature release of prisoners in each
state a Sentence Review Board should be set up to advise the
government.

Please answer the following Self Assessment Question.

Self Assessment Question 1

What is remission? What types of remission are provided under the
Model Prison Manual 2003?
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After Care and Rehabilitation

The draft manual talks about the After-care and the rehabilitation of the
prisoners and the work regarding the same should broadly be phased as
follows:

(i) While the individual is under institutional care and treatment

(ii) Immediately after release from the institution
(iii) Post-release period.

As a means of rehabilitation the draft manual specifies the importance of

open and semi-open institutions, which are a well, come step and the
same is in consonance with the modern penological thinking. All Open
and Semi-open institutions are intended to put into practice the
contemporary ideology of reformation, correction and rehabilitation of
convicted prisoners so that they may lead a self-disciplined and cultured
life after release. These institutions provide the prisoners opportunities
of employment and living a life in the open. This restores dignity of the
individual and develops in him/her self-reliance, self-confidence and
social responsibility, which are necessary for his/her rehabilitation in the
society. The following are the kinds of institution which are taken into
consideration by the draft manual i.e., Open Work Camps, Semi-open
Training Institutions, Open Training Institutions and Open Colonies.

Women Prisoners

The draft manual separately dealt with the issue of women prisoners.
It has been provided that the women prisoners shall be classified and
kept separately as under:
(i) Under-trial prisoners shall be kept completely separated from
convicted offenders, even when their number is small.
(ii) Habitual prisoners shall be separated from casual offenders
(iii) Habitual offenders, prostitutes and brothel keepers must also be
confined separately.
(iv) In no circumstances should adolescent girls be confined with adult
women prisoners.
(v) Political and civil prisoners shall be kept separately from convicts
and undertrial prisoners.

It has been further provided that the a child up to six years of age of a
women prisoner shall be admitted to prison with his mother if no other
arrangements, for keeping him with relatives or otherwise, can be made.
Children born in prison may remain with their mothers up to six years of
age, if they cannot otherwise be suitably placed. The Medical Officer
shall determine the age of children not born in prison for the purpose of
this provision.

The provisions are made for the vocational training of women prisoner.
The sufficient work or vocational trades shall be provided to keep
prisoners actively employed for a normal working day. These may
include:
Tailoring; Embroidery; Needle-craft; Spinning; Handloom; Weaving; Soap;
making; Hosiery work; Cane and bamboo work; Candle making; Toy
making; Pottery; Stationery articles; Local handicrafts; Cottage industries
Gardening; Sewing machine repair; Typing; Computer training;
Beautician’s work; Telephone operation and secretarial practice;
Agricultural, horticultural, diary projects; Poultry; Sericulture; Fishery;
Mushroom cultivation; Fruit preservation and other local projects.

The welfare of the children of the Women Prisoners: The facilities for
crèches should also be made available for the children of women
peisoners. There shall be a creche and a nursery school attached to a
prison for women where the children of women prisoners shall be looked
after. Children below three years of age shall be allowed in the creche
and those between three and six years shall be looked after in the
nursery school.

Please answer the following Self Assessment Question.

1.7 Summary

ƒ The learned persons in the field of criminal justice system have

drafted the long needed awaited Model Prison Manual.
 ƒ The provisions of the draft Model Prison Manual are formulated
keeping in view the aspect of rehabilitation and reformation of
prisoners.

ƒ All the important national and international instruments on the

prison and the prisoners are consulted before coming out with the
draft.

ƒ The scientific basis of classification and treatment of prisoners are

provided. The draft provisions are presently, sent to all the States
and the Union Territories for consideration and further
suggestions.

1.8 Terminal Questions

1. What is the basis purpose behind the Model Prison Manual 2003?
Please define the salient features of this Manual?
2. Define the duties of the Board of Visitors as envisaged under the
Model Prison Manual 2003?
3. What are the duties of the prisoners as provided under the Model
Prison Manual 2003?
4. What are the terms of references for the Model Prison Manual
Committee?

1.9 References and Suggested Readings

1. Model Prison Manual 1960

2. Model Prison Manual 2003.