India's Open Prisons Lie Idle Amid Jail Overcrowding Crisis: SC Sounds Alarm

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The Supreme Court has sounded the alarm over the underutilization of open correctional institutions in India, calling it a 'very serious issue'. The issue of overcrowding in jails and the lack of rehabilitation facilities for prisoners have led to the court's concerns. Open correctional institutions were introduced to help prisoners reintegrate into society after their release. The court has allowed the Kerala government to use a portion of a 457-acre land for an open prison, a national forensic sciences laboratory, and other infrastructure projects, including the BrahMos project. Senior advocate K Parameshwar, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, said the Kerala government's application should be granted, citing the need to utilize the available land. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Centre, emphasized the importance of the BrahMos project as a national defense initiative. The court has asked the Centre to frame a policy on utilizing open correctional institutions, as many states are not utilizing these facilities to their full capacity. According to the court, at least six or seven states have open correctional institutions operating at less than 50-60% capacity. In some states, women prisoners are not allowed to enter these facilities, citing security concerns. The court has observed that these facilities can function with minimal security, and it is the responsibility of the states to work out the logistics. The court has reserved its order on the issue, emphasizing the need to utilize available facilities to address overcrowding and rehabilitation issues in jails. The apex court had earlier noted that establishing open prisons can be one of the solutions to overcrowding and rehabilitation challenges.