Preamble

During the feudal system, prisons were only for the royal families and the wealthy classes. At that time, prisons were built in royal palaces and forts. Ordinary and poor people were immediately punished for wrongdoing. As society gradually transitioned from a feudal system to a capitalist system, prisons became centers of punishment for maintaining regimes. During the British rule in India, jails were penal centers where people who reacted against the government were punished. The old School of thought on treatment of inmates and administration of Prisons were based on retribution, deterrence and such other punitive measures. The emphasis on punishment has gradually been replaced by modern concepts on safe custody, correction, reformation, welfare, rehabilitation and resocialisation. In order to achieve these goals and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, an act "The Kerala Prison & Correctional Services (Management) Act 2010" was enacted in the year 2010. The Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services (Management) Rules, 2014 were enacted by section 99 of this Act on 23rd May, 2014.

Goals & Objectves

The basic duty and responsibility of prisons department is to provide safe custody of all persons committed to jails by any competent authority having jurisdiction and power under any law for the time being in force. All persons admitted to the Jail are given hygienic living conditions, adequate food, clothing and medical care as envisaged in the law. The prisons department's endeavor is to achieve the objectives of correction, reformation and rehabilitation of inmates including effective vocational training. By considering the inmates as human resources rather than as individuals, there is an intensive effort to make them self-sufficient in the fields of veterans by understanding the skills and abilities without considering the academic qualification. During this period, prisons became centers of correction rather than centers of punishment. Hence jails are named as Prison & Correctional Home.

Mission Statement

The mission of Kerala Prisons & Correctional Services is to take adequate steps for safe custody, correction, reformation and rehabilitation to transform inmates into self-sustainable individuals with acceptable social behaviour when released back to society.

Service Rendered

• To ensure safe custody of all inmates committed by any writ warrant or an order of any court or other competent authority.
• To give Correctional treatment to all inmates in custody so as to efface from their mind the evil influence of anti-social ways of life and rehabilitate them in the society as good citizens.
• To provide inmates with food, clothing, accommodation and necessities of life and adequate medical treatment and care of sick inmates.
• To adopt measures for developing a healthy social outlook.
• To adopt measures to engage inmates sentenced to rigorous imprisonment to labour, and provide them with vocation oriented labour.
• To take measures for physical, mental and moral uplift of inmates.
• To provide educational and other facilities for improving qualities, character and mental attitude of inmates.
• Release on due date.
• To maintain discipline in Prison and to take adequate measures for safety and security of inmates.
• The services of the Jail Department include providing legal aid to the inmates by running 'Legal Aid Clinic' in the Jail through the authority of DLSA and KeLSA.
• Projects are implemented in collaboration with other departments to improve the living conditions of the inmates/their dependents in the services of the Jails Department.
• Facilitates online meeting with relatives and friends of the inmates at fixed times.
• A system of remand/trial conferencing is used in inmate cases.
• Free legal aid is ensured in association with the Legal Services Authority for all inmates who do not have access to legal aid in connection with their case.
• By making maximum use of the human resources in the prisons, various production units are established which are helpful to the people and the state, and provide products of good quality at affordable prices.
• Rehabilitation of inmates who are released from jail should be centralized in Central Jails under the supervision of the Jail Department.
• Look into the education of children of long-term inmates.
• Emphasize welfare activities for children living with their mothers in prison.