Prison Statistics India 2022: Above 75% Prisoners Are Under Trials, Actual Occupancy Of 131% In Indian Prisons; 1.9% Incidence Of Recidivism; Reasons Of 63 Unnatural Deaths In Prisons Un Known

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has recently released its Prison Statistics India (2022) Report (PSI). The PSI is based on the data furnished by the Prison Department of all 36 States/UTs for a calendar year i.e. January 01 to December 31, 2022, as per the NCRB prescribed proformae through an Application developed by NCRB.

Some of the Major findings of the report are as follows:

Prisons- Types and Occupancy

• The data shows that the total number of prisons at national level has increased from 1,319 in 2021 to 1,330 in 2022 having increased by 0.8%.
• The actual capacity of prisons has increased from 4,25,609 in 2021 to 4,36,266 in 2022, having increased by 2.5%. Number of prisoners lodged in various jails has increased from 5,54,034 in 2021 to 5,73,220 in 2022, having increased by 3.5% during the period
• The occupancy rate has increased from 130.2% in 2021 to 131.4% in 2022.
• Uttar Pradesh has reported the highest capacity in their jails (capacity of 67,600 inmates in 77 jails contributing 15.5% of total capacity) followed by Bihar (capacity of 47,750 inmates in 59 jails contributing 10.9% of total capacity) and Madhya Pradesh (capacity of 29,715 inmates in 132 jails contributing 6.8% of total capacity).

Prisons- Types and Demography

• The data shows that the no. of undertrial inmates were reported as 4,34,302 which is 75.8% of total prisoners which is an increase of 1.7% since 2021.
• The convicts only account for 23.3% of total prisoners having increased by 8.6% since 2021.
• There are 5412 (convicts), 18146 (under trials) and 120 (detenues) female prisoners across the country.
• There were 1,537 women prisoners with 1,764 children as on December 31, 2022.
• Among these women prisoners, 1,312 women prisoners were undertrial prisoners who were accompanied by 1,479 children and 198 convicted prisoners who were accompanied by 230 children.
• There are 14 (convicts) and 83 (under trial) transgender prisoners across the country.
• Uttar Pradesh has reported the maximum number of convicts (20.4%, 27,209 convicts) in the country followed by Madhya Pradesh (16.3%, 21,761 convicts) and Maharashtra (6.0%, 7,998 convicts) at the end of 2022.
• Uttar Pradesh has also reported the maximum number of undertrials (21.7%, 94,131 undertrials) in the country followed by Bihar (13.2%, 57,537 undertrials) and Maharashtra (7.6%, 32,883 undertrials) at the end of 2022.
• The number of detenues has increased from 3,470 in 2021 to 4,324 in 2022, having increased by 24.6% during this period.
• Tamil Nadu has reported the maximum number of detenues (49.2%, 2,129) in the country followed by Jammu & Kashmir (12.6%, 546) and Gujarat (7.7%, 334) at the end of 2022.

Prisoners- Sentences & Incarceration

• A total of 544 prisoners, who had been sentenced for Capital Punishment, were lodged in various jails of the country as on 31st December, 2022. Out of these 544 prisoners, 190 prisoners were sentenced for capital punishment during the year 2022.
• Among the 1,33,415 convicted prisoners, the number of prisoners who were sentenced to Life Imprisonment were 75,629 accounting for 56.7% of total convicts.

Prisoners – Releases

• The release of convicts has increased by 34.9% (from 93,077 in 2021 to 1,25,533 in 2022) and the release of undertrials has increased by 5.4% (from 14,68,627 in 2021 to 15,48,143 in 2022).
• Out of 1,25,533 convicts released, 41.2% of convicts (51,680) were released after completion of conviction period during 2022.
• A total of 10,760 convicts were released subsequent to the acquittal on appeal from Higher Courts.
• Only 5,035 convicts were released before completion of sentence award.
• A total of 110 Convicts were pardoned for their offence committed.
• A total of 15,48,143 undertrial prisoners were released during 2022, out of which 95.0% of undertrial prisoners (14,70,848) were released on bail.
• A total 537 undertrial prisoners were released under Section 436A of CrPC during 2022.

Deaths and Illness in Prisons

• Number of deaths in prisons has decreased from 2,116 in 2021 to 1,995 in 2022, having decreased by 5.7%.
• Number of un-natural deaths in prisons has decreased by 14.1% from 185 in 2021 to 159 in 2022.
• Among the 159 un-natural deaths of inmates, 119 inmates have committed suicide, 4 inmates were murdered by inmates, 10 inmates died in accidents and 1 inmates died due to assault by outside elements during 2022. For a total of 63 inmate deaths, cause of the death is yet to be known.

Jail Breaks, Escapees & Clashes/Group Clashes in Prisons

• A total of 257 prisoners escaped during 2022 where 98 escapees (38.1%) had escaped from police custody and 159 escaped from judicial custody.
• A total of 113 escapees were re-arrested during 2022.
• There were 4 incidences of jail break occurred during 2022.
• 45 instances of clashes/group clashes occurred during 2022.

Rehabilitation and Welfare of Prisons

• According to the PSI a total of 1,622 convicted inmates were rehabilitated during 2022.
• A total of 3,159 inmates were given financial assistance on their release during 2022.
• A total of 1,83,320 inmates were provided legal aid during 2022.
• The number of prisoners benefitted from Elementary Education, Adult Education, Higher Education and Computer Course were 46,786, 39,888, 12,780 and 5,169 respectively during 2022. Also 42,769 inmates were imparted various vocational trainings in weaving (5.6%), tailoring (11.1%), carpentry (6.7%), handloom (3.9%), canning (2.3%), making soap and phenyl (2.4 %) etc. by the jail-authorities during 2022.
• An average of rupees 127.47, rupees 113.91 and rupees 102.43 were paid per day to Skilled, Semi-Skilled and Unskilled prisoners respectively.
• The States/UTs of Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh has reported that rupees 615, 308, 200 and 200 per day are paid for skilled works in their States respectively.
• The States/UTs of Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh has reported rupees 548, 248, 180 and 180 per day paid for semi-skilled works.
• The State Karnataka has paid highest wages for unskilled works (524 rupees per day).

Incidence of Recidivism

• A total of 2,471 convicts were habitual offenders/recidivists which accounted for 1.9% of total convicts (1,29,009) admitted during the year 2022 [repeat offenders among undertrials have not been taken into account].
• States reporting highest share of habitual offenders to convicts admitted during 2022 were Delhi (21.5%), Chandigarh (12.3%), Mizoram (7.8%), West Bengal (4.7%) and Nagaland (4.5%).

Prison Staff - Strength & Training

• The report states that sanctioned strength of jail-staff was 91,181 while the actual strength was 63,578 as on December 31, 2022 due to vacancies not being filled up. It shows a vacancy of 30.27% of jail staff across the country.
• The sanctioned strength of Correctional Staff (Probation Officer / Welfare Officer, Phychologist / Psychiatrist, etc.) was 1468 where as the actual strength was found to be 820 which shows a vacancy of 44.14%.
• The actual strength of woman jail officers/staffs was 8,674 (including 295 medical officers/staff).
• Out of the 63,578 jail staffs, only 20.7% (13,180) staffs were trained under various Refresher/Specialised/Re-orientation courses during 2022.