CHENNAI: Overcrowding is the foremost problem in central prisons in Tamil Nadu. Nearly 75 per cent of the inmates are remand prisoners and several of them have been languishing in prisons for many years.

These remarks are contained in the "recommendations for prison reforms" submitted by S. Sambandham, Member, State Human Rights Commission, to the State Government.

Mr. Sambandham said inmates, jailed for petty offences, were cooling their heels behind bars, as they could not get bail.

Mr. Sambandham's suggestions were based on his visits to the central prisons to study of their conditions in the last two years. He also visited the Tihar Jail in Delhi to have a first-hand knowledge of jail reforms introduced there.

In the suo motu recommendations, running into 16 pages, Mr. Sambandham also discusses matters relating to prisoners remaining idle due to the closure of most workshops, non-utilisation of the "victim fund", treatment of HIV-positive inmates, de-addiction, training of jail staff in human rights, illegal use of cellular phones and periodical meetings between the judiciary and the police and prison authorities on disposal of cases.

Mr. Sambandham said that during his visit to the Central Prison, Madurai, the jail authorities and the prisoners stressed the need for holding "prison adalats" for expeditious disposal of cases against those remanded by mofussil courts. The major problem here was that in the adalats held in the prison, presided over by the city judicial magistrates, mofussil court cases could not be taken up. Hence, the Government could approach the High Court so that the facility would benefit those who were sent to jail by the mofussil courts.

The Government should instruct the police to file charge sheets within the stipulated period, so that overcrowding in prisons could be reduced. In most of the cases, filing of charge sheet was not prompt. Also, prisoners who were unable to produce sureties could not come out even if they were ordered released. Life convicts constituted 75 per cent of the total convict population. The Government should use its powers to grant remission to those with good conduct.

Mr. Sambandham said the workshops in prisons should be modernised. In every prison, weaving, carpentry, tailoring, papermaking and bakery units should be started to provide employment to the inmates.

As for the "victim fund", which was created on the Supreme Court's orders, the Member said over Rs. three crore had accumulated in the fund, as victims or their dependants did not come forward to claim any amount. He suggested that a committee, led by the district judge, be constituted to administer and distribute the fund. The money could be used to educate the dependants of victims. As administration of prisons related to reformation, correction, rehabilitation and custodial treatment skills, a prison official should head the prison department, and not a police officer.

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