The Supreme Court Committee is investigating deaths in Indian Prisons.

News:

The Supreme Court Committee on Prison Reforms recently found that suicide is the main reason for unnatural deaths in India's prisons.

Background:

Custodial deaths (deaths that happen while a person is in custody) have been increasing in India since 2019, with the highest number of deaths occurring in 2021.

Uttar Pradesh had the most deaths in 2021, with 481 inmates passing away. Rajasthan had 52 deaths with unknown causes.

Types of Prison Deaths:

The Prison Statistics India report, published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) every year, classifies prison deaths as either 'natural' or 'unnatural'.

'Natural' deaths are caused by aging or illness, including diseases like heart conditions, HIV, tuberculosis, and cancer. In 2021, about 90% of prison deaths were classified as 'natural.'

'Unnatural' deaths happen due to reasons other than aging or illness and include: Suicide (like hanging or poisoning), Deaths from inmate-on-inmate assaults, Negligence or firing

Accidental deaths (due to things like natural disasters, snakebites, drowning, falls, burns, or drug/alcohol use)

Unnatural Deaths in Prisons in 2021:

A report by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) found that the suicide rate among inmates was more than double that of the general population. After suicides, most unnatural deaths were due to "other" reasons or murder by inmates.

Issues

The Supreme Court has stated that the NCRB's distinction between natural and unnatural deaths is unclear. Many prison deaths are underreported and not properly investigated, leading to most deaths being classified as 'natural.'

During the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths from the virus were classified as 'natural,' even though prisons were overcrowded and lacked proper medical facilities.

Worries About Prison Conditions:

ü  There is a shortage of prison staff. In 2021, only 2,000 out of 3,497 sanctioned positions were filled to care for 225,609 prisoners. This number increased to 575,347 by September 2023.

ü  Vacancies in staff positions are unevenly distributed among states, with Bihar and Uttarakhand having over 60% of positions vacant.

ü  Mental illnesses affect about 1.5% of the prison population, but there's a lack of mental healthcare resources and staff to address this issue.

ü  Only 5% of prison expenditure is allocated for medical facilities, according to the PSI 2021 report.

ü  Prisons are overcrowded, with more inmates than the facilities can handle.

ü  Infrastructure in prisons is lacking and contributes to the poor conditions.

Suggestions to Improve the Well-being of Prisoners

ü  The Supreme Court and various guidelines emphasize the importance of healthcare for prisoners. Recommendations include investing in healthcare facilities, creating mental health units, training officers to provide basic and emergency care, and implementing suicide prevention programs.

ü  The NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) issued recommendations, including regular checks on inmates' belongings, a gatekeeper model to identify prisoners at risk of suicide, measures to address addiction among prisoners, and filling vacancies for prison staff, especially mental health professionals.