Essay on Self-Government in Prisons in America !
In order to ensure discipline and obedience among inmates experiments on self-government in prisons have been carried out in America and elsewhere. The underlying purpose is to ensure complete freedom to prisoners from external control. Under the system of self-government in prisons, the inmates are to elect some of their colleagues as their representatives and the entire prison management is rim by this elected body of inmates.
They have complete control over mess and are expected to look after the interests and welfare of their fellow prisoners. The self-government of prisoners in Osborn (U.S.A.) jail indicated that the system proved to be very successful and the number of escapes was almost negligible. The inmates generally behaved well and never tried to misuse the liberty extended to them.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
In India, however, the system of self-government in prisons has not been very successful. The reason for this unsatisfactory condition is perhaps the lack of general moral discipline among the criminals who are generally illiterate persons from the lower strata of society. It is for this reason that instead of introducing complete self-government system, India has adopted a system of partial self-government in its prisons.
Under this system, the prisoners who have good prison record are attached to work with wardens and guards of the institution and thus they act as a common link between the prison authorities and the fellow inmates. They are extended certain facilities and are even allowed to move out of the prison occasionally during the course of their work. This proves helpful in many ways.
Firstly, it develops a sense of duty, honesty, trust and loyalty among the prisoners and secondly, it has a psychological effect on other inmates as they are convinced that a disciplined behaviour in prison would entail them certain facilities including some reduction in their term of sentence like their fellow prisoners.