PRISON REFORMS IN INDIA – FROM PUNISHMENT TO REHABILITATION

AUTHOR – ANJANI RATNESH UPADHYAY & NIMISHA WAGHMARE, STUDENTS AT KES SHRI JAYANTILAL H PATEL LAW COLLEGE

BEST CITATION – ANJANI RATNESH UPADHYAY & NIMISHA WAGHMARE, PRISON REFORMS IN INDIA – FROM PUNISHMENT TO REHABILITATION, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (1) OF 2025, PG. 1253-1264, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

INTRODUCTION

Prisons serve as an arm of criminal justice system to punish the deviant behaviour of a miscreant. India’s jails are emblematic of a criminal justice system grappling with multiple challenges. Overcrowding, outdated infrastructure, and limited resources often impede the delivery of essential services such as healthcare, sanitation, and rehabilitation. These facilities not only house a diverse inmate population—including a growing number of under trial prisoners—but also reveal systemic gaps that affect the human rights and well-being of inmates. In this article, we explore the current state of Indian jails, examine the pressing issues they face, and discuss potential reforms aimed at transforming these institutions into centers of genuine reformation and support.