India Justice Report puts TN prisons on top of the list

CHENNAI: As per the India Justice Report, 2022, TN prisons topped the list of rankings in the country in the large and mid-sized states category. The survey results are based on various parameters like infrastructure, less-crowding and correctional efforts etc.

TN prisons scored 6.24 out of 10 while Karnataka prisons, which bagged second place scored 6.02. Telangana is in third position with 5.35 score. Uttarakhand has come last with a score of 2.05. TN prisons have improved the score from 10 in 2019 and 6 in the year 2020.

IJR survey covers police, judiciary, SHRC, legal aid and prisons. In overall ranking Karnataka tops the list with a score of 6.38 closely followed by TN with a score of 6.11. The report pointed out that not a single state met their own reserved space for women in the police department. Across the country 33,312 cases are pending in 25 state human rights commissions as of March 2021.

In prisons of 32 states, the share of undertrials is more than 60 percent.

Reacting to the IJR, DGP Amaraesh Pujari, heading Prisons and Correctional ServicesTN said it is heartening to know that the TN Prison Department has been ranked as number one in the all-India ranking of Prisons. This achievement has been possibledue to the patronage, support and guidance extended to the Prison Department by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Ultimately, my aim is to change the prisons from a largely punitive institution to a reformatory one by transforming Prisons into Correctional Colleges, the officer added. "We are taking several measures for the reform, rehabilitation and re-socialisation of the prisoners including renovation of Prison libraries, introduction of audio books, skill development courses, yoga, automated laundry for better sanitation, enhanced interviewing facilities for the visiting family members of the prisoners for better family-connect, provision of video call facility, free education, free legal aid clinics and introduction of sports and music as therapeutic interventions. Recognition of our efforts vide this survey result will motivate us to do even better in the days to come, " Pujari said.