After a rigorous training of three months, 45 prison officers, mainly jailors and deputy jailors, passed out of the 37th batch of in-service course from the Academy of Prison and Correctional Administration (APCA) in Thorapadi, Vellore, on Saturday. Alongside, the 38th batch of in-service course for prison officers was also inaugurated in the academy. Officials said that N. Vasanthaleela, principal district judge, Vellore, was the chief guest. The batch comprises 31 trainee officers, including five women officers, seven deputy jailors from Telangana and one assistant matron, ten jailors from Karnataka, five assistant superintendents Grade-II from Kerala and eight assistant jailors from Tamil Nadu. As part of the course, the officers were given indoor training, including in prison and correctional administration, criminology and victimology, alternatives to imprisonment, sociology and social work, psychology, criminal laws and special acts, human rights and good prison management. The officers had casework practice at the Central Prison in Vellore for the social work to learn to study the person in the environment and presented the same in the class. They also submitted assignments and presentations for all subjects which were evaluated and awarded marks. The in-service officers were trained in handling weapons, such as 9 mm pistol, 7.62 mm SLR and 9mm carbine. Classes were conducted through audio visuals, group discussions and presentations. The outdoor training included drill with arms, crowd control drills, handling weapons, unarmed combat, yoga and meditation. The officers were trained in swimming, first aid, car driving, building maintenance and electrical safety, counselling skills and social defence. The batch visited jails in the southern States to learn the best practices in prisons and correctional administration. At the end of the training, officers were tested with written examinations, including viva voce that was conducted by G.B. Senthamaraikannan, DIG Prisons (Vellore Range) on June 30. During the training at the academy, strict COVID-19 protocols were enforced among the trainee officers and staff. All officers were vaccinated against the virus. On the occasion, M. Chandrasekhar, Director, APCA, and Professor Beulah Emmanuel, course coordinator, APCA were present.
