The existence of jails is universal and in these designated premises are lodged the criminally deviants and delinquents till either they are exonerated of the charges framed against them or judicially penalized to remain incarcerated for a fixed period of time. Imprisonment is a 17th century concept to put the offender behind the bars and punish them by unleashing torture or carrying out publicly witnessed executions.
Pakistan inherited prison system from the pre-partition colonial masters who would enjail political dissidents and criminals. However, the modern day interpretation of word ‘jail’ terms it a place where the criminals are rehabilitated by taking reformative initiatives. To learn about the crime trends of a society the jail record is the most relevant source as it is not only the confinement place but also both the criminal and the personal profile of the offenders is maintained there. Besides, the trend of judiciary’s reaction against felonious activities can also be learnt from jail record of the prisoners where judicial pronouncements are also collated. The English travellers; prior to invasion of Sindh, among other facets of life, had also gathered and studied the criminal trends of society by interacting with relevant segments of population.
There are over 97 jails in Pakistan. The sanctioned capacity of these jails is 42,670 but around 77,728 prisoners are housed in these. The number keeps on fluctuating, though. In a recent report to home ministry prison department of Sindh confirmed that 20,308 prisoners are housed in different jails of province against the overall authorized capacity of 12,245.
Of 25 prisons in province central jail Karachi is said to be the most overcrowded housing 6174 against the authorized capacity for 2,400 prisoners. Thus the gaols are running low in their capacity to house the increasing number of the prisoners. In fact these are housing far more prisoners than the authorised capacity. Prisons are mainly lacking clean drinking water and related sanitation, sufficient medical care, kitchen hygiene etc. Hepatitis C, AIDS virus, tuberculosis and other diseases are reported as wide spread in prisons. The colonial era practice like use of shackles, fetters and other iron bars to restrict the physical movement of prisoners is still in vogue.
Jail administration has a number of problems in smooth running of the prisons and the insurmountable challenge being overcrowded state of jails causing more complications. Prison staff has alleged tendency of granting small favours to inmates greasing their palms. Situation worsens when the taking of contrabands including cell-phones inside the jail by prisoners is connived.
Favouritism stands pronounced when jail staff, in contravention of legal provisions given in jail manual, extends favours to politically affiliated inmates, to those having affiliation with banned outfits, and to others who can purchase these favours by bribing the jail administration. This is the administrative sagging area which subsequently creates unrest in jails.
While prisons’ administration might have a genuine grouse of being understaffed, under-resourced and lack of training on the modern administrative patterns but what does restrain it to hold fast with the standards of honesty and uprightness. Capacity enhancement of staff through intensive training has not been the priority of respective provincial governments. Glaring lack of physical fitness of prison police is making their agility victim. While they don’t have strictly enforced weapon handling or discipline drill either. The rusted appearance of AK-47 rifle in the hands of prison police guards speaks volumes with regard to their weapon handling orientation. The recruitment process of prison staff particularly in Sindh province is not free from political shades.
Jailbreak episodes took place in the past wherever the security had been lax. Jailbreak of Machh (Balochistan) took place in 1983 where the hardened criminals escaped whereas prisoners escaped from central prison Sukkur in 1980s when some insiders’ collusion resulted into jailbreak. Latest being Bannu jailbreak (April 2012) and of central prison DI Khan (July 2013) where militants stormed these prisons and got freed their associates incarcerated therein. Similarly, the physical infrastructure of most of the jails is in poor shape particularly of those constructed during British era. Boundary walls, barracks inside jail, both bachelor and married accommodation of jail officials are in dilapidated condition. Many gaols are now in the heart of cities due to rapid expansion of city centres. This is fraught with security implications.
The concept of jail goes hand in hand with the archaically held perception of torture and punishment. It is a colonial era or beyond that model. Such concept must end now. Instead the jails should reform the inmates who gone criminally deviant. There should be both clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists in jails to render counselling services to inmates. Detainees there should be treated with an aim to reform, rehabilitate and make them good citizens. To introduce much awaited reforms in jails ‘committees’ are routinely announced but these either did not work or their recommendations have never been heeded to. First reforms committee was made in 1950s under the chairmanship of Colonel Salamt Ullah, then inspector general of prisons in UP undivided India. Afterwards, a number of committees were formed but reforms suggested could not be implemented either due to shortage of funds or the lack of political will sabotaged the suggested reforms.
Besides, the increasing crime rate in country is alarmingly swelling the number of criminals in jails. Gaol reforms are to refurbish the individual after he gone criminal but efforts be made to minimize the crime rate in society. Government must heed to ‘findings and suggestions’ of the research scholars often highlighting socio-economic ills being major cause of crime in society. The frail institutional strength must reassert itself, principles of justice and spirit of meritocracy should be upheld in the social fabric. Absence of socio-economic justice and poor institutional response connected thereto is generally pushing people to other side of the ring. Reasons causing deviant behaviour may be contained by ensuring equal opportunities for all and sundry. This will certainly bring the desired salutary effect in the population. Winston Churchill truly said, “The mood and temper of the public in regard to the treatment of crime, and criminals is one of the most unfailing tests of the civilization of any country.”
Writer is freelance and presently working on a paper researching rural crime and causes