Why in the News?

The Tata Trusts recently published the India Justice Report 2025 according to which Indian jails face extreme overcrowding and are battling multiple health challenges.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India Justice Report (Background, Objective)
• Prison System (Healthcare crisis, Overcrowding, Understaff, Disability, Suggestions, etc.)

About the India Justice Report

• The India Justice Report (IJR) is a collaborative effort by several civil society organizations and policy think tanks.
• It is a data-driven assessment that evaluates the justice delivery systems across India’s 36 States and UTs, covering five key sectors:
  • Police
  • Judiciary
  • Prisons
  • Legal Aid
  • Human Rights Commissions
• The report employs quantitative indicators to highlight both progress and persistent gaps in structural capabilities and public service delivery.

India’s Prison Healthcare Crisis Under Scrutiny

• The India Justice Report 2025 reveals alarming findings about the condition of Indian prisons, placing the spotlight on worsening overcrowding, the glaring lack of healthcare personnel, and the urgent need for mental health support across prison facilities.
• With a rising inmate population and stagnant infrastructure development, the report flags a systemic failure that requires immediate policy attention.

Worsening Inmate Overcrowding

• The inmate population in India rose sharply from 3.8 lakh in 2012 to 5.7 lakh in 2022, and is projected to reach 6.8 lakh by 2030.
• However, the available prison capacity stands at only 4.3 lakh, with a forecast of just 5.15 lakh by 2030, falling significantly short of demand.

• The national occupancy rate stands at 131%, a substantial jump from 112% in 2012.
• States like Maharashtra saw an occupancy spike from 99% to 161% over a decade.

• The report identifies overcrowding as a key contributor to communicable disease outbreaks, deteriorating living conditions, and increased strain on administrative and health infrastructure.

Acute Shortage of Medical Professionals

• The report highlights a 43% vacancy rate among prison medical officers, and the existing doctor-to-prisoner ratio stands at a staggering 1:775, far worse than the Model Prison Manual 2016 benchmark of 1:300.
• This deficit in medical staff hinders not only day-to-day healthcare but also responses to outbreaks, injuries, chronic illness management, and even forensic documentation.

A Mental Health Emergency Behind Bars

• Perhaps the most serious revelation of the report is the near-collapse of India’s prison mental healthcare system.
  • Only 25 psychologists are available for the entire prison population, equating to one psychologist for every 22,929 prisoners.
  • In 2022, India had 69 sanctioned posts for mental health professionals, but less than half were filled.
  • Not a single state or union territory meets the standard of 1 psychologist per 500 inmates.

• Mental illness among prisoners doubled from 4,470 in 2012 to 9,084 in 2022.

• Despite this surge, 25 States and Union Territories make no provision for a psychologist or psychiatrist within their correctional staff.
• This gap poses immense risks, including increased suicides, unchecked behavioural issues, and relapse among those with substance use disorders.

Invisibility of Disability in Prisons

• The report also notes the absence of national-level data regarding prisoners entering jails with a disability or those who acquire disabilities during incarceration.
• This undermines efforts to implement inclusive prison reforms or offer legal protection and special care to these vulnerable groups.

Recommendations and Way Forward

• The India Justice Report calls for:
  • Urgent recruitment of medical and mental health staff in jails.
  • Strategic investment in prison infrastructure expansion.
  • Regular publication of prison health and disability data.
  • Policy incentives for States to decongest prisons, especially through alternatives to incarceration like bail reforms and community sentencing.
• India’s prison system stands at a crossroads. As the country advances technologically and economically, its correctional system needs equal attention to ensure dignity, health, and safety for all inmates, aligning with international human rights standards.