A piercing portrait of the injustices of the Indian prison system. For decades, the narratives around prisoners in India have perpetuated arbitrary notions of the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ citizen. Stories about Indian prisons rarely make it to public notice – from deplorable living conditions, lack of medical care and legal support to intense mistreatment, violence and all manner of horrific abuse. Despite the mounting evidence, any attempts to study the systemic frailties and chilling injustices that abound within a prison complex have been few and far between. In Hope Behind Bars, editors Sanjoy Hazarika and Madhurima Dhanuka draw upon extensive research, identifying prisoners and ex-prisoners, their families and associates and gathering first-person experiences about the Indian prison system. With ten essays contributed by subject specialists, including a former Supreme Court judge, lawyers, inmates, prison officials and activists, on a range of issues, such as the rights of prisoners, the journey to justice in the controversial Hashimpura killings case and life in a detention centre, this essential collection brings prisoners’ lives and liberties to the heart of public debate and policies, presenting accounts of how hope can flower in the most unlikely places. Searing and thought-provoking, it provides the reader with valuable insight into the vexed idea of incarceration and delivers a necessary human document of the true face of justice behind bars in our country

Motivation, persistence and perseverance are the distinct traits of determined and dedicated individuals who can make things happen. It's always possible, even when the task is awesome -- transforming the mindset of human beings. Located in India's capital, New Delhi, Tihar is one of the largest prisons in the world. Within a prison complex of over 200 acres are housed over 9,700 inmates -- men, women, adolescents, children; Indians and foreigners. They comprise unconvicted alleged offenders, convicts and remandees. Tihar was a limping, languishing institution, condemned by the media, and its inmates were isolated from the community, exploited, used and abused, yet 'housed'. Dr Kiran Bedi was appointed Inspector General of Tihar Prison in 1993. She brought about fundamental changes, giving a human face to the administrative structure and creating an exemplary system covering every possible aspect of prison management. The whole objective was to collectively and individually manage the transition from a moribund system to a responsive and sensitive administration. Hence her efforts unfolded the process of reformation involving prison administration, prisoners and the community, toward one common goal -- Correction through a collective approach. Dr Bedi's account is enhanced by input from the prisoners themselves, expressing their feelings in letters and sketches, in petitions and poetry. This book is a graphic portrayal of an holistic process of conversion, a metamorphosis from criminality to humanity, achieved within a restrictive legal framework.

Prisoners and Prisons in India" is an in-depth exploration of the conditions within India's prison system, emphasizing the human rights of prisoners and the legal framework governing their treatment. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of the historical evolution of prisons in India, highlighting the various challenges that persist in the modern era, such as overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, and the systemic issues that often lead to the violation of prisoners' rights. At the core of this book is a detailed examination of the landmark Supreme Court case "Re-Inhuman Conditions in 1382 Prisons," which serves as a pivotal moment in India's judicial history. This case brought to light the appalling conditions in Indian prisons and led to a series of orders aimed at reforming the system. The book meticulously presents the full text of these Supreme Court orders, offering readers an authoritative source of legal directives that have shaped the current prison reform landscape. Key topics covered in the book include: Legal and Constitutional Framework: An overview of the constitutional rights of prisoners, the relevant acts and regulations like the Prison Act of 1894, and the significance of the Model Prison Manual 2016. Supreme Court’s Directives: A chronological account of the Supreme Court’s directives issued in response to the inhuman conditions in Indian prisons, with full-text orders included for reference. Prison Conditions: A critical analysis of the current state of Indian prisons, addressing issues such as overcrowding, health and hygiene, custodial violence, and the lack of basic amenities. Life Inside Prisons: Insights into the daily life of prisoners, including rehabilitation programs, the plight of undertrial prisoners, and the unique challenges faced by women and juvenile detainees. Prison Reforms: An examination of the efforts made to reform the prison system in India, including government initiatives, the role of NGOs, and the challenges of implementing sustainable changes. Comparative Analysis: A look at how India's prison system compares with those of other countries, drawing lessons from international standards and best practices. Future Directions: The book concludes with thoughtful recommendations for policymakers, legal practitioners, and civil society on how to continue the momentum of prison reforms to ensure the dignity and rights of all prisoners are upheld. This book is an essential resource for legal professionals, human rights activists, policymakers, and anyone interested in the justice system. It not only serves as a legal reference but also as a call to action for continuous improvement in the treatment of prisoners, emphasizing the importance of upholding human dignity within the criminal justice system. With its comprehensive coverage and detailed presentation of the Supreme Court's interventions, "Prisoners and Prisons in India" stands as a significant contribution to the discourse on human rights and prison reform in India.

Life imprisonment has replaced capital punishment as the most common sentence imposed for heinous crimes worldwide. As a consequence, it has become the leading issue in international criminal justice reform. In the first global survey of prisoners serving life terms, Dirk van Zyl Smit and Catherine Appleton argue for a human rights–based reappraisal of this exceptionally harsh punishment. The authors estimate that nearly half a million people face life behind bars, and the number is growing as jurisdictions both abolish death sentences and impose life sentences more freely for crimes that would never have attracted capital punishment. Life Imprisonment explores this trend through systematic data collection and legal analysis, persuasively illustrated by detailed maps, charts, tables, and comprehensive statistical appendices. The central question—can life sentences be just?—is straightforward, but the answer is complicated by the vast range of penal practices that fall under the umbrella of life imprisonment. Van Zyl Smit and Appleton contend that life imprisonment without possibility of parole can never be just. While they have some sympathy for the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, they conclude that life imprisonment, in many of the ways it is implemented worldwide, infringes on the requirements of justice. They also examine the outliers—states that have no life imprisonment—to highlight the possibility of abolishing life sentences entirely. Life Imprisonment is an incomparable resource for lawyers, lawmakers, criminologists, policy scholars, and penal-reform advocates concerned with balancing justice and public safety.

In many jurisdictions today, life imprisonment is the most severe penalty that can be imposed. Despite this, it is a relatively under-researched form of punishment and no meaningful attempt has been made to understand its full human rights implications. This important collection fills that gap by addressing these two key questions: what is life imprisonment and what human rights are relevant to it? These questions are explored from the perspective of a range of jurisdictions, in essays that draw on both empirical and doctrinal research. Under the editorship of two leading scholars in the field, this innovative and important work will be a landmark publication in the field of penal studies and human rights.

Based on original research and personal encounters, this book narrates the real-life-stories of women locked up in Indian prisons for alleged or actual violations of the state’s criminal laws. It contextualises women offenders’ experiences of the criminal justice system and of state custodial institutions within the larger narratives of their particular lives, thus interrogating the social as well as legal frameworks within which women face adversities in their lives and in custody. It argues that the sex and gender issues that affect women ‘outside’ are carried over ‘inside’, with extremely damaging consequences for the lives and mental health of women prisoners. The volume will be of interest to those in gender studies, legal studies, sociology, and human rights organisations, as well as to policy makers and the general reader.