Prison reforms in Telangana: Locked in a limbo

Trigger warning: The following article contains references to suicide. “More than just the number of cases, the real challenge lies in rehabilitating the minds of criminals, especially repeat offenders, to convince them to not tread the same path again,” says J. Srinivas, Detective Inspector with the Rachakonda police investigating Ramana’s case. While facilities might be present, prisoners are only seen as criminals and very little is being done to address their psychological challenges,” says Kondaveeti Satyavati, Project Director of Hyderabad-based Bhumika Foundation, a women support organisation which also works towards suicide prevention by counselling jail inmates. When incarcerated, the task of dealing with one’s emotional and mental challenges is largely left to individuals already trying to wrap their heads around the ‘new normal’ of their lives, says Purnima Nagaraja, a mental health professional and therapist who has also closely worked with women prisoners in Chanchalguda Central jail in Hyderabad. “Very little money, equalling 1.0%, is spent on prisoners’ welfare activities and 0.6% on vocational/ educational training of prisoners,” the report notes, also recommending allocation of central funds to carry out prison reforms and infrastructure development.