The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently allocated Rs. 99.49 crores in financial aid to States and Union Territories for the E-Prisons Project. This initiative is directed towards digitizing prison operations across the country. Alongside this, NIMHANS (an Institute of National Importance) has issued guidelines at the request of the MHA to address mental health concerns in prisons, for both the inmates and the staff.
About E-Prisons Project
E-Prisons Project is a digitization initiative aimed at transforming the operation of prisons across the country. It’s currently implemented in all States and Union Territories. The core data from e-Prisons has been merged with the Police and Court system as part of the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System.
This application suite was developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), under the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY). There are three primary components:
– e-Prison Management Information System (MIS): A tool used in prisons for routine activities.
– National Prisons Information Portal: A public portal that displays statistical data from various prisons across the country.
– Kara Bazaar: A platform for showcasing and selling products made by prison inmates.
Inter-operable Criminal Justice System
Inter-operable Criminal Justice System provides a consolidated platform for data exchange and analysis, linking all the pillars of the criminal justice system namely: Police, Forensics, Prosecution, Courts, and Prisons. The design and implementation of this system aims at reducing errors and time delays in sharing crucial information between these pillars.
These inefficiencies often result in prolonged trials, lower conviction rates, and loss of documents in transit, among other issues. The ICJS ecosystem offers tangible benefits, such as generating usable analytics like the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO), instrumental in identifying and tracking persistent and habitual sexual offenders.
Prisons and ‘Persons detained therein’
As per Entry 4 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, management of prisons is a state subject. The administration and upkeep of prisons falls under the jurisdiction of respective State Governments. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs regularly guides and advises States and UTs on various matters relating to prisons and their inmates.
The Supreme Court appointed the Justice Roy Committee in September 2018 to probe into the various issues besieging prisons. This includes overcrowding, absence of legal advice for convicts, and problems related to remission and parole.
This initiative of introducing digital transformation in prisons aims not only at better administration but also at addressing underlying issues plaguing the prison system. The E-Prisons Project, along with the set of guidelines to manage mental health issues in prisons, represent significant steps towards a reformed prison system in the country.
