OPEN JAIL FOR HABITUAL CRIMINALS



(Main entrance of Folsom State Prison, CA, USA)
Image courtesy, Dreamstime.

According to a report by National Crime Record Bureau of 2021 Kochi ranked 3rd in populationwise crime reported in 19 cities of India. This comes to 1603.7 crimes per one lakh population. The data released shows that 33,697 IPC and SLL (not serious crimes) crimes were reported in Kochi in 2021. Why crime rate is so high in a Kerala City? The prime cause may be widespread availability of narcotics here. Peace loving citizens may point their fingers towards the government, the police, various political parties and the media. What is media to do with crimes? Media is expected to report any crime with in depth details. Here some media do not give the personal details of the criminal. Protecting the identity of the criminals encourages them to commit more crimes. If he is an active participant of a political party, media do not expose these details at all.

Let us take crime as crime only, whether it is committed by people of one religion or the other, this political party or that. Our prime target should be to refine the criminals. Let us first look for habitual criminals like those harassing the female, vehicles lifters, goondas who are doing this hooliganism for an earning, narcotics addicts etc. We may not go for normal law and order procedures rather go for an open jail system these offenders. Those who had undergone imprisonment and court finds that similar crime is repeated, can be considered for open Jail. However, in the case of narcotics, any users and carriers may be considered.

Open jail should have large area encircled by a high wall with one main gate. Should have enough barracks and a hall with all basic facilities with adequate open area. Frequent councilling arrangement should be provided to all of them by religious leaders, educationists, retired police officers, psychologists and psychiatrists who are voluntarily offering their services. In this connection we can take guidance and assistance from  United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) who has offices in India. All these criminals can be examined by an expert committee in every three months. Those who have found to be recovered from the criminal tendencies can be released and may be kept under watch.

If we can introduce this system in Kerala we can bring down the crime rate in the state considerably.

K V George 

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