Legal Aid Clinics In All Jails, Mental Well-Being Of Inmates: Gujarat State Legal Services Authority Implements SoP For Prison Reforms

Gujarat High Court Chief Justice and Patron-in-Chief of the State Legal Services Authority (GSLSA) Justice Sunita Agarwal has developed an exhaustive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) titled "Prison Reforms" which aims to enhance legal services for jail inmates who have been incarcerated for extended periods.

The launch of this initiative was emphasised during the release of a compiled book under the guidance of GSLSA Executive Chairman Justice Biren A. Vaishnav

The SOP gives details about critical issues such as lack of awareness about the availability of quality legal aid, jail overcrowding, socio-economic challenges faced by inmates' families, and specific concerns regarding women inmates. It offers a structured approach for the GSLSA to address these issues effectively.

The SOP also underscores the measures taken to enhance the mental health and the overall well-being of the prisoners. It also talks about the future projects designed and planned by GSLSA to help enhance the mental health of the prison inmates.

The SOP discusses crucial issues within the correctional facilities of the state of Gujarat, like inadequate awareness of quality legal aid, the socio-economic difficulties faced by inmates' families, jail overcrowding, and specific issues affecting women inmates. It also offers a systematic plan for the GSLSA to address these concerns and improve the mental health and well-being of prisoners.

The SOP sets up Legal Aid Services Clinics in all jails, staffed by trained Paralegal Volunteers (PLVs) who offer legal assistance. When an inmate is committed to custody, a designated PLV will inform them of their right to free legal aid if they are unable to obtain legal representation. The PLV will also engage with the inmate's family to address their concerns, especially for those from underprivileged backgrounds, and guide them on government welfare schemes for financial and social support.

Additionally, the PLVs will reach out to convicts who have not appealed their convictions to inform them of their right to free legal aid. The PLVs will also work towards gaining faith of the convict so that the inmate may open up before him and will also make efforts towards removing all the myths of the convict about the standards of free legal aid and shall help him in preferring the criminal appeals, in a timely manner. Furthermore, the PLVs will undergo a regular sensitization training which will be offered by GSLSA.

The PLV with courteous interaction at regular intervals shall try to gain the faith of the convict so that the inmate may open up before him.

The SOP emphasises the proper management of juvenility claims and the effective implementation of Under Trial Review Committee (UTRC) meetings.

All District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) are mandated to diligently adhere to the guidelines set forth by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for evaluating claims of juvenility made by accused individuals.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) also addresses the improvement of mental health for jail inmates.

In response to multiple directives from the Supreme Court of India aimed at enhancing the mental well-being of long-suffering inmates in central jails across the country, GSLSA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Prison Department of the Government of Gujarat, and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), has established a Psycho-Socio Care Centre at Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad.

This centre was launched as a pilot project to promote the holistic mental well-being of inmates and to address underlying mental health issues. An impact assessment conducted one year after the project's completion revealed significant success.

On average, 25 inmates visit the centre daily. Over the course of one year, a total of 2,169 individual sessions have been conducted for inmates, and 64 women prisoners have received essential counselling. The services offered by the centre include psychological assessments and need-based counselling and intervention sessions.

To ensure that children in conflict with the law receive proper counselling for rehabilitation and reintegration into society, the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority (GSLSA) plans to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) in collaboration with the Home Department of the Government of Gujarat.

Additionally, the SOP emphasises, "Children and adolescents regardless of gender, caste, community, social origin, and state of residence, are subjected to individual risks for potentially harmful events. Quite often, the advantage is being taken of illegal opportunities from them as the young people are found to be involved in various offenses, become addicted to drugs, use violence against their peers, and involve in various antisocial gangs."

Mental health professionals have suggested several measures for juvenile homes, foster homes, special homes, and children's homes. These measures include assisting the Juvenile Justice Board in assessing the mental health and mental age of children in conflict with the law and evaluating their functional capacities to address developmental needs, such as identifying developmental delays, neurodevelopmental disorders, and behavioural and emotional functioning.

The professionals aim to assist and support the Board in adhering to the 16 principles specified in Section 3 of the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015. They will offer psychological therapies by using neurocriminology model to help them develop an alternative prosocial thinking, feeling and behaviour.

The initiative will emphasize teaching prosocial behavior to substitute antisocial thinking and behaviour. It aims to provide provide the best mental health services to the juvenile accused and victims both, to reduce their self-blame, rage, revenge, guilt, remorse, distress etc. related emotional issues.

Tailored intervention plans will be crafted as per each child's specific requirements, with an emphasis on recognising any presence or level of disease, disability, impairment or handicap arising from various conditions.

To help in reducing the the pain caused by above said conditions by providing them primary, secondary and tertiary interventions suggested by World Health Organization (WHO). Therapeutic de-addiction group programs will be established for children struggling with substance abuse. Moreover, career guidance and assessments will be conducted to support vocational advancement as part of the broader initiative for societal integration.

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, who released the book on October 19, commended the Chief Justice's initiative to institutionalise jail reforms. The GSLSA is noted as the first authority to establish a codified SOP addressing the concerns of under-trial prisoners and convicts. All District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) have been encouraged to implement the SOP rigorously.

In his message, Justice Gavai described the SOP as an ideal framework for improving the conditions of long-incarcerated inmates.

A newsletter and magazine showcasing GSLSA's legal service activities and unique initiatives were also released during the event.

Click Here To Read Prison Reform Book