Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Plan to defer sentences of pregnant prisoners

CHENNAI: The Prison department will propose suitable changes in the law-enforcing mechanism to facilitate deferment of sentence awarded to pregnant convicts by at least three years, Director-General of Prisons R. Natraj has said.

The initiative is to provide a safe, healthy and conducive environment for the woman (convict) to give birth and take care of the child. “The mother’s love and care for a baby is very important in the initial years. The newborn need not be exposed to the prison environment and made to live with that stigma.

The scheme of deferring sentences of pregnant convicts is being practised in Thailand, which we want to emulate,” he told The Hindu on Wednesday.

Mr. Natraj, who attended the five-day ‘Asian Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators – 2008’ that commenced in Malaysia on November 25, said the best prison practices and management in dozens of countries were shared at the meeting. India became a member of the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Countries for Correctional Administration this year.

“We have many cases in which pregnant women lodged in prisons are referred to the nearest government hospital for periodical treatment and delivery. Being at home makes them feel better. As of now, we have schools on the special prison premises and sub-jails where woman convicts are allowed to have their children till they attain the age of six years,” he said.

Taking the Macau model into consideration, he said, an in-house journal would be launched in the Tamil Nadu prisons, which would bring to the fore literary skills of inmates. The first journal would be launched on the Pongal Day (January 14) in the Puzhal Central prison.

“The writers, editor and publisher will all be from among the prisoners. We have the facility to print the journal within the campus. It will serve as a source (for the prisoners) to ventilate their creative thoughts. We can distribute the journals to the family members of inmates and the local community.”

Mr. Natraj said the conference focussed on human resource development, rehabilitation and healthcare aspects. Many countries presented papers on the uniqueness of their prison administration. An architectural design for prison complex to promote effective rehabilitation and environmental sustainability was presented.

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