Jail Reforms- SC Issues Slew Of Directions: Directs Compensation To Next Kin In Custodial Deaths , Medical Assistance, Phone & Video Conferencing With Family For Prisoners [Read Judgment]

The Supreme Court, on Friday, agonized over the increasing number of custodial or unnatural deaths in the prisons across India and issued a slew of directions to curb them.“…we do hope that the highlighting of this issue will bring about awareness in the mind and heart of the powers that be and consequential reforms in prisons which may ultimately reduce, if not eliminate, the number. “…we do hope that the highlighting of this issue will bring about awareness in the mind and heart of the powers that be and consequential reforms in prisons which may ultimately reduce, if not eliminate, the number of unnatural deaths in prisons and also improve the conditions of prisoners all over the country,” the Bench comprising Justice M.B. Awareness, sensitization and counselling The Union of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs will ensure circulation within one month and in any event by 31st October, 2017 of the Model Prison Manual, the monograph prepared by the NHRC entitled “Suicide in Prison - prevention strategy and implication from human rights and legal points of view”, the communications sent by the NHRC referred to above, the compendium of advisories issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the State Governments, the Nelson Mandela Rules and the Guidelines on Investigating Deaths in Custody issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross to the Director General or Inspector General of Police in charge of prisons in every State and Union Territory. The State Governments should, in conjunction with the State Legal Services Authority, the National and State Police Academy and the Bureau of Police Research and Development conduct training and sensitization programmes for senior police officials of all prisons on their functions, duties and responsibilities as also the rights and duties of prisoners.