The Gazetteers Department

There is a district prison at Chandrapur and four magisterial lock-ups located at Warora, Brahmapuri, Gadhchiroli and Sironcha. The district prison at Chandrapur is classified as class II prison and is mainly meant for the confinement of short term casual prisoners and local undertrial prisoners.

Organisation.

The Inspector-General of Prisons exercises general control and superintendence over all prisons and sub-jails in the State subject to the orders of the State Government. He is assisted by the Deputy Inspector-General of Prisons, the Superintendent of Jail Industries and other necessary staff.

The district prison at Chandrapur is in charge of a Superintendent who is vested with executive management of the prison in all matters relating to internal economy, discipline, labour, punishment, etc, subject to the orders and authority of the Regional Deputy Inspector-General of Prisons, Eastern Region, Nagpur and Inspector-General of Prisons. The Superintendent, Chandrapur District Prison, is assisted in his work by the necessary executive, ministerial and technical staff. Prisoners promoted to the rank of convict overseers and night watchmen are utilised for prison services.

The post of Inspector-General of Prisons is generally filled in by the appointment of an I.A.S. Officer or by promotion from amongst those who are borne on the cadre of Superintendent of Central Prison (including the holder of the post of Deputy Inspector General) or by transfer of a suitable officer belonging to the Maharashtra Medical Service, class I, or by direct recruitment. The Superintendent of a Central Prison is an officer promoted from the rank of Superintendents of District Prisons. The seniormost Superintendent of Central Prison is usually appointed to the post of Deputy Inspector-General on the advice of the State Public Service Commission. Superintendents of District Prisons are appointed both by recruitment or by promotion from amongst Jailors, Grade I, in the proportion of 1:2. Jailors in Grade I are also appointed either by direct recruitment or by departmental promotion in the proportion of 1:2. Appointments to the posts of Jailors, Grade II, arc made by the Inspector-General by promoting Jailors, Grade III. Appointments to the posts of Jailors, Grade III, are made by the Inspector-General, 50 per cent of which are made by direct recruitment and the remaining 50 per cent by giving promotions to suitable departmental candidates.

Training.

The Superintendents of Prisons and Jailors receive theoretical as well as practical training in Jail Officers' Training School at Yeravada on a scientific basis in all fields of correctional work. A separate training class, of three months' duration for non-commissioned officers has been started to impart practical knowledge of the duties which are expected of a jail guard.

A physical training instructor visits the jails in the State in rotation and imparts training in drill, games and other physical activities. both to the inmates of the jail as also to the jail guards.

Thus due care is taken to give every jail officer and every jail subordinate, adequate opportunities to acquaint himself with the theoretical as well as the practical side of his duties in order to enable him to discharge them satisfactorily. The training programmes have, in fact, gained an important place in the jail administration which aims at reformation.

Guarding Establishment,

Of the guarding establishment only a part is armed. his section serves as a reserve guard to reinforce the unarmed guards in the immediate charge of prisoners inside the prison or in extramural gangs in the event of assault, mutiny, escape or other emergency. It is also available to mount guard over particularly dangerous prisoners or prisoners-sentenced to death who are termed as ' condemned prisoners '.

JAILS. classification of Prisoners.

Prisoners are classified as class I or class II by the court after taking into consideration their status in society and also the nature of the offence committed. They are further classified as casuals, habitants, undertrials, etc. Prisoners arc also grouped as " short-termers', 'medium-termers', and ' long-termers'. Prisoners with a sentence up to 3 months are classed as 'short-termers '. Those sentenced to a period of more than three months but not exceeding two years are classified as 'medium-termers ' and those sentenced to two years and above are classified as ' long-termers'. Headquarters sub-jails are meant for confinement of short-term and undertrial prisoners only. There is no separate class of ' political prisoners ' but certain rules which do not allow grant of facilities and privileges to other prisoners on the score of the length of sentence are relaxed in their favour under the specific orders of the Government.

Work is arranged according to prisoners' health. On admission, a prisoner is examined by the medical officer, who classifies him as lit for light, medium or hard labour. A work allotment committee, constituted for central and district jails, assigns suitable work to prisoners after taking into consideration their health conditions, aptitude, experience, etc. Prisoners are engaged in prison maintenance services, prison farms and industries.

Wages

The prisoners engaged in various prison occupations are paid wages as per the rules.

Remission of Sentence.

Prisoners are granted ordinary remissions, such as annual good conduct remission, State remission, blood donation remission, remission for conservancy work and remission for physical training as per the rules.

Release on Parole and Furlough.

A prisoner may be released on parole in case of serious illness or death of any member of his family or his nearest relative or for any sufficient cause prescribed under the rules. The period spent on parole is not counted as part of the sentence. If any prisoner is found to violate parole rules, he is liable to be punished. Enquiries as regards the genuineness of the grounds advanced in the application are made through the local revenue and police authorities. Prisoners with a sentence of one year and above are entitled to being released on furlough for a period of two weeks which is. counted as a part of the sentence.

Advisory Board.

The cases of long term prisoners are initially reviewed by an Advisory Board. Deserving prisoners are released prematurely under the orders of Government by remitting the unexpired portion of their sentences.

A Board of Visitors comprising official and non-official visitors is appointed as per the rules.

JAILS. Education. Recreational and Cultural Activities.

Literacy classes are conducted for prisoners and school books provided at Government cost. Prisoners who desire to prosecute higher studies are also extended necessary facilities. One lecturer has been appointed at the district prison to give lectures in ethics to the prisoners on Sundays and jail holidays.

Documentary and full length films are shown to the prisoners, ordinarily once a month, by the Publicity Department. News-papers are also supplied at Government cost as per the scale laid down under the rules. A library is also organised for their benefit.

Welfare of Prisoners.

Matters pertaining to the welfare of the prisoners are attended to by the prison officers as per the rules.

Discipline.

Emphasis is always laid on the maintenance of good discipline in the prison. Positive and constructive discipline is treated as the basic foundation for wholesome changes in the attitudes of the prisoners.

Jail Reforms.

A Jail Reforms Committee was appointed by the Government in 1946 and in its report published in 1947, the Committee made several recommendations calculated to bring about the reformation of the prisoners. The Government accepted many of the recommendations. The rules as to the treatment to be meted out to the prisoners have since been liberalised. With the abolition of Whipping (vide Bombay Act XXXIX of 1957), flogging as a Jail punishment has been stopped altogether. Punishments such as penal diet and gunny clothings no more continue. Rules regarding letters and interviews have also been liberalised.

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