The Institute of Correctional Administration (ICA) organized a training program on “Capacity Building for Prisoner’s Welfare” for the Officials of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi Prisons from March 16 to March 19, 2015 at Chandigarh. The event touched the various aspects like concepts and good practices for Prisoner’s Welfare, Capacity Building and Leadership, Prisoners’ Rights, Role of civil society, etc.
The sessions held on March 19, 2015 were marked by the presence of around 20 participants along with Dr. Upneet Lalli (Deputy Director, ICA), Dr. B.K. Trivedi (Former Deputy Director, BPR&D), and Swami Vishalanand (DJJS Representative) as the panellists. The panel discussion on ‘Role of Community Participation in Capacity Building for Prisoner’s Welfare’ was informative and highlighted the key issues on prisoner reformation and rehabilitation.
Thereafter, Swami Vishalanand took over with a 90 minute session on ‘Post Released Rehabilitation Programmes for Prisoners in India’, and pertinently put forth the nuts and bolts of rehabilitation. Merely providing education, vocational skills, livelihood and other opportunities to the prisoners is not Rehabilitation; but it is a sum total of mindset correction in conjunction with education, vocational skills, livelihood and other opportunities.
The participants were apprised of the reformative works that were being done to ameliorate the prison sector. Thoughts are the ‘creator’ and ‘destroyer’ of human being, and also the root cause of all his deeds. So, the need of the day is to rectify thoughts that mark an individual’s action; which in turn can change the habits of an individual, and ultimately the character.
Rehabilitation therefore should have a multifaceted approach, so as to prevent an inmate from bouncing back to the world of crime. The society can play a vital role by supporting the noble and innovative ideas of reformation and rehabilitation for prisoners.
The session was concluded by clarifying the queries of the participants and facilitation of the reformation & rehabilitation work in this very sector through various platforms.
