NCJ Number
104038
Journal
Social Defense Volume: 20 Issue: 79 Dated: (January 1985) Pages: 12-18
Date Published
1985
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The initial philosophy and organization of the penal system in India and the reforms in the system during the 19th and early 20th centuries reflect the British model on which the system was established and the changes in European penal philosophy over the years.
Abstract
The East India Company rule brought the building of 143 civil jails, 75 criminal jails, and 68 mixed jails with a total capacity of 75,100. Lord Mccaulay's recommendation in 1835 that imprisonment be used for most cases reflected the British reformers' view that deprivation of liberty was more appropriate than capital sentences. Committees were established to examine Indian penal policies and practices in 1838, 1864, 1877, and 1919. Their recommendations focused on facility sizes, prison conditions, prison management, and inmate classification. The 1919 committee's report contained the first recommendation in Indian history to make rehabilitation the explicit goal of prison administration. The period between 1937 and 1947 saw a focus on the development of new penal policies. The important leaders of that time had personal knowledge of prison life, because they had been jailed for their agitation against foreign rule. The prison administration in India has been responsive to new ideas suggested by evaluators and has made many improvements. The wider public awareness during 1937-1947 resulted both in law reforms and the appointment of prison reform committees in various provinces. 15 reference notes.