Humane Prisons - Reform 'not' Punish

இன்னா செய்தாரை ஒறுத்தல் அவர் நாண நன்னயம் செய்துவிடல் குறள்: 314

The proper punishment to those who have done evil, is to show them kindness, in return and to forget both the evil and the good done on both sides.

HUMANE PRISONS

REFORM NOT PUNISH ARUN MOZHI VARMAN N A

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Humane Prisons

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to the mentors Ar Muralidhar Reddy & Ar Chandrabhanu DVNL who provided guidance when required.

Would also like to thank my friend Miss Habeeba Tahaseen for giving me valuable inputs on this dissertation.

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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights PART 2 - Article 10 1. All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT

02

CURRENT STATE OF PRISONS

03

THE STANDORD PRISON EXPERIMENT

07

ATTENTION TO GUARDS

Story Of Sgt. Gary Harkins

09 11

GENDER RESPONSIVE PRISONS

13

REFORM METHODS

Group Therapy

Rehabilitative Therapy

Role Of Art in Prisons

17 19 21

CASE STUDIES

Justice Centre, Austria

Halden Prisons, Norway

East Jutland State Prison, Denmark

25 27 29

PRISON SYSTEMS

Open Prison System Panopticon

Other Prison Systems and Forms

33 39 41

CONCLUSION

General Recommendations

Design Strategies

47 49

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Art by Tings Chak

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ABSTRACT “do the crime, do the time” “lock ‘em up and throw away the key.”

A fortress with thorny spiked walls, watchtowers above with lights and a constant gaze, corridors with cells lined up with iron barred gates, rough finished interiors to take abuse and torture, and finally isolated ill inmates. This is the type of prison we build for a Human with more or less the same requirements that we need.

A lot of prisons are overcrowded. 9 to 10 prisoners are put in a cell which can accommodate two. Prisoners with no room in the cells have to stand all day in congestion and have to take turns to even sit for minutes. What good does it even do to torture them of this level? They are going to be released after their prison sentence to the public and treating them with such negativity affects them and make them more afraid of the society.

“Prisons are efficient in keeping people locked up but not effective at rehabilitating them.”

- Leann Bertsch, on the present prison conditions around the world There are more than 10.3 million people locked up in the prisons in the world now. Our perception of prisons from the movies are cells arrayed in rows in multiple tiers with hard and tough criminals but in reality the major number of inmates arriving at the prison are mentally ill. The system and the justice inside the prisons worsens these conditions and makes the illness to levels we can’t think of. This is mainly because of the solitary prison cells and the brutal treatments given. The loss of freedom and the separation from the society is an adequate punishment for most and the need to reinforce the message with brutal treatments is not required after all they are humans like us.

“Architecture is always shaping behaviour” - Michael Murphy, Founder of MASS Design Group.

Architecture affects behaviour and can be used in designing prisons for reforming prisoners or to atleast give them a human deserving space. We as designers should consider the moral and ethical dimensions seriously.

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OCT 18, 2020 - THE INDIAN EXPRESS - by Sadaf Modak, Mumbai.

“The figure, reported over five months, also equals the number of suicides for the entire year in state prisons, according to the Prison Statistics of India, 2019.”

“In the latest case, a 32-year-old convict, who died by suicide in Nashik jail, was suspected to have swallowed a note that was found in his abdomen during postmortem. The note alleged harassment by five prison officials.”

Reports of four deaths in Mumbai prison from May 2020 to October 2020. It is reported that there is a lack in interventions for mental health checks regularly by the officials.

There was a Mental Healthcare act enacted in 2017 which was to provide training in basic and emergency mental healthcare to medical officers in prisons.

This act for the provisions is yet to be followed regularly in prisons.

The state of the prison officers lacking in the ability to execute provisions for mental health interventions in prisons is directly linked with the Government hospitals which themselves are in a burdened state and thus the prisons go unnoticed.

There are a huge number of Job vacancies sanctioned to prisons in Maharashtra. Out of 187 sanctioned posts only 117 is taken, this includes correctional staffs, psychiatrist and psychologists.

There is definite need in appointment of staffs atleast in overcrowding prisons where the mental stress is a lot higher than usual as the guards need to be more strict to keep control of the inmates.

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FEB 28, 2020 - THE INDIAN EXPRESS

“Observing that the psychological assessment of prisoners in most jails revealed a shocking state of affairs, the Karnataka High Court said it is disturbing that Bengaluru Central Prison has 2,023 inmates suffering from various mental disorders.”

The number 2,023 is alarming as the maximum capacity of inmates that can be hosted in the Bengaluru Central Prison is only 3000, more than 1/3rd of the prisoners are reported to have mental disorders.

The prison is 101% percentage in its capacity and has been in the heat for overcrowding.

The main issue in overcrowding is the guards need to be more strict and inmates usually end up having no place to sleep and have to take turns for basic amenities with other inmates.

JUNE 29, 2017 - WASHINGTONPOST.COM - by Vidhi Doshi

“According to reports, about 200 female inmates rioted June 24. Some climbed to the roof of the prison, others burned newspapers to protest the death of an inmate who had died in custody the previous day.

A post-mortem report seen by the Hindustan Times said that the woman’s body was battered and bruised, and her lungs damaged. According to reports, the woman was beaten because she complained that prisoners were not receiving sufficient food.

She died in a hospital, where she was taken hours after being beaten.”

Riots are common in the crowded, dingy Indian Prisons. Torture to extract the truth is a very common way to make them confess. But in June 29th, this protest in the Byculla women’s Jail in Mumbai made the headlines.

This inhuman behaviour and approach by the guards towards the inmates creates an environment of anxiety and discomfort within the inmates. The thought of power and control sometimes overcomes the guards mind which leads to decisions as such.

Also in India this situation of class based treatment is seen everywhere. There is a conspicious disregard of basic rights in the prison.

On an average there are around 180 deaths every year. Most of the deaths are closed as natural deaths but this one because of the protests was heard by the public. The prisons are opaque and common people have no knowledge of what is going on inside.

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OCCUPANCY RATE OF JAILS

THE

INDIAN PRISON STATISTICS

Distribution of Convicts undergoing various Period of Sentences

Shares of Different Types of Releases of Convicts

8%

8%

Less than 6months to 2+ years

53.5%

Life Imprisonment

14%

2 to 6+ years

Pre-Mature release Transferred to Other State

56%

5%

Released on Appeal

25%

7 to 14+ years

Released after Completion of period

31%

Released on Bail

Deaths of Prison Inmates due to Unnatural Causes

Educational Profile of Prison Inmates

22%

12%

Class 10 and above below Graduation

Others

70% Suicide

6%

6%

Graduate

41%

Below Class 10

4%

Murders

Degree or PG

12%

27%

Accidental Deaths

Illiterate

Inmates Suffering from Mental illness - 7,394 in Total

Recidivists or Habitual Offenders Rate

47%

Of the Undertrials

51%

Convicts from the total number of Patients

2%

Others

3%

of the offenders tend to commit crime again

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The Stanford Prison Experiment was headed by Dr. Philip Zimbardo.

It had 24 volunteers (12 Prisoners and 12 Prison Officers). The primary reason for conducting the experiment was to focus on the power of roles, rules, symbols, group identity and situational validation of behaviour that generally would repulse ordinary individuals.

The prison guards started showing sadistic and authoritarian characters over the prisoners as they bullied them to extreme conditions. As a result the prisoners were subjected to Psychological torture. The experiment was planned to be 2 weeks long but shut down in just 6 days as the torture and violence grew extremely high.

24 men were selected looking at their physical and mental stableness. The most mature and the least involved in antisocial were chosen to participate. They were given characters in random and treated as such.

THE

STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT1971

STAGES OF THE EXPERIMENT ASSERTING AUTHORITY - Within hours of beginning the experiment the guards began to harass and to show power over the prisoners. They were awakened at 2.30 AM in the morning for a roll call and to familiarize their numbers. After sometime the prisoner characters too started acting behaving like a prisoner .

PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT - Prisoners were insulted and were given boring tasks to accomplish and were generally dehumanized. Push-ups were a common form of punishment imposed on the prisoners. The guards stepped on top of the prisoners and made other prisoners sit on top of fellow prisoners doing push-ups.

ASSERTING INDEPENDENCE - Because the first passed without any major incidents the guards were totally unprepared for the rebellion that broke on the second day. The guards called for reinforcements and the night duty guards stayed on to help too.

PUTTING DOWN THE REBELLION - To calm down the situation the guards used the fire extinguisher on the prisoners, entered into the prisoners rooms and stripped them naked.

They also took their beds out. After this incident the guards began to intimidate and harass the prisoners.

SPECIAL PRIVILEGES - Three cells were given to prisoners who were least involved in the prison rebellion. They gave their clothes back, had a privileged meal when the others were stripped of their meals too. This was done to break the solidarity among the prisoners.

CONSEQUENCES OF THE REBELLION - The relationships between the guards and the prisoners changed over the next few days. The guards were firmly in control of the prisoners. The prisoners became more submissive, and the guards became more aggressive. The prisoners were very much dependent on the guards and so they tried to please them as much as they can.

A VISIT FROM PARENTS - The guards arranged a day for the visit of their friends and family. They feared they would take the students away. So they had them cleaned up, hosted a big dinner and played music in the intercom. After the visit a rumour of mass escape spread. The guards escalated the harassment levels and forced them to do menial activities and repetitive work like cleaning the toilets with bare hands.

END OF EXPERIMENT - Due to the emotional breakdowns and the excessive aggression shown by the prison guards the experiment was terminated on the sixth day of the two weeks schedule.

CONCLUSION - The prison like setup and the loss of individuality (prisoners were called with numbers rather than their name) made the participants feel anonymous which led to the authoritarian behaviour and the cruelty. De-individuation may explain the behaviour of the participants; especially the guards. This is a state once you become so immersed within the norms of the group that you simply lose your sense of identity and private responsibility. The guards may are so sadistic because they didn’t feel what happened was right down to them personally. They also may have lost their sense of private identity due to the uniform they wore.

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The major dependence for the quality of life in prison are the guards and staff working in it. Their attitude, role they play or their mood all directly or indirectly matter a lot. It is in their integrity and humanity a prison depends a lot on. There are studies which show that lower ratios in Guards and Prisoners lead to more homicidal prisoners.

They are usually underpaid and over exposed to violence at work. Officers in prisons around the world are regularly exposed to traumatic events that heightens their stress levels and make them struggle with depression, PTSD and suicidal thoughts. The life and struggles faced by the officers are commonly not seen or studied anywhere.

They usually are blamed for their inhuman activities. The mental health of the officers were always an issue but did not show up and it is just starting to get attention that it deserves.

Prison guards are generally exposed to high levels of Violence. In fact in India not a single day passes without having a riot or a death. There are close to 180 deaths in India in prisons in a year. Many cases of correctional officers reporting violent incidents in prisons have been recorded daily. Almost 30% have reported seriously injured when on duty and about 85% have seen someone else getting injured or killed.

There’s a major health consequence when it comes to work-related stress. More than half of the correctional offices have reported that they are not feeling well and they’ve regularly reported for headaches, digestive issues, high BP and heart disease.

After a certain period of time officers learn to live with depression. It becomes a way of life for people working in Law Enforcement. People close to them tend to notice the rate of anxiousness and depression the officers become is more after they started working in corrections. 28% reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless and 38% have very little interest in pleasure in doing things.

Atleast one third of the officers have experienced one or more symptoms of PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Officers have reported having nightmares about an event which was frightening, terrible or upsetting at work. And few went to peaks of stress and have thought about killing themselves. The rate of suicidal thoughts which are mostly kept in silence are often seen in retired officers. They have not shared about it to anyone which shows that many out there are suffering in silence.

Officers fear for privacy and other unintended problems to their jobs and never talk about it to others or go get help in mental health programs organised. Only a minority have been seen in the state organised mental health checks. Many officers in common are not aware of the disorder and tend to think it is a normal thing.

Nevertheless corrections is a hard and an extremely emotions related work to execute.

Ways to better support the mental and physical health issues from the exposure in work and toxic levels of violence the officers face each and every day at work have to be sort out.

The required attention to

PRISON GUARDS

459.1

per 10,1000

2 1

112.4

1

per 10,1000

Suicidal rate is twice as many when compared to the General Public and the Police Officers.

41%

increase

19%

increase

2000

2013

Incidence rate for Non - Fatal occupational injuries and illness

63

assaults on staff for every 1000 prisoners

17

more assaults per 1000 prisoners than 2015

626

on staff

recorded serious assaults

In 13 Years, the number of inmates in prisons increased by more than half of that of the Prison officers

34%

5%

Of CO’s met the criteria of PTSD

Violence

Number of Prison Guards with PTSD is over twice as many as Army men with PTSD

Only 5% of violent and traumatic instances on the Job are enough to give correctional officers PTSD. Humane Prisons

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For 25 years, Sergeant. Gary Harkins worked as a correctional officer at the Oregon State Penitentiary. He retired in February. For a part of his career, Harkins worked within the prison’s isolation unit.

“It’s only when you leave it that you simply really truly understand what proportion stress you were under,” he says of his time within the solitary ward.

Isolation in Oregon and most other states within the United States means 23 hours of a day locked in a cell with the dimensions of a toilet . One hour alone during a small exercise yard. No television and windows and the prisoners are banned from meeting anyone.

These conditions are surely difficult for inmates who spend years and maybe even decades in them. But, as Harkins found, they’re also difficult on the officers.

“I kept brooding about it. I couldn’t escape from the work ,” he says. “I’d be dreaming about what happened the night before. Or I’d be sitting and watching [a TV] show, and something would trigger something that happened at work. You know, the days when people would act out. So you’d relive some kind of cell extraction or some kind of altercation - you’d relive it.”

DARK DAYS While working within the giant, windowless, gray prison building, Harkins says months glided by where he’d never see the sun: “You’re down there for 12 hours each day . You enter even before the sun has risen at six in the morning . In the wintertime, you’re getting into when it’s dark and getting out when it’s dark. Sometimes, you’ll never see the sun.”

Every day, the routine was an equivalent . Deliver food on plastic trays. Take inmates to the shower. Walk the tiers for hours, ahead of many inmates who are often angry, frustrated and abusive.

“When people in your work are telling you suck you’re bad 8 hours in a day, you gotta have 16 hours each day where you get all the positive.”

But, he says, tons of officers he knows don’t have that.

“Some of them visit the bar. A number of them head home and kick the cat,” he says.

“Different people will have different ways to try and neutralize the strain and a few people didn’t do a really good job at doing that.”

In general population units, Harkins says, he could have spent half his day talking with inmates about sports or the news. But in isolation, the inmates are not allowed to talk to the officers, and therefore there is no conversation between the inmates and the guards “An us-versus-them attitude quickly takes over.”

Unseen Side Of

SGT. GARY HARKINS

IN ISOLATION UNITS, Oregon, USA.

COLD INTERACTIONS Harkins says there have been inmates within the general population with whom he was on great terms. But once they got sent to segregation, they might not even look at him and would ignore him.

“When he gets right down to segregation, to IMU, to Intensive Management, something changes,” he says. “They become hostile. They become withdrawn a touch . They won’t ask you.”

Any interaction is brief and businesslike: “Instead of claiming , ‘Please pick the papers up off the ground ,’ you enter and say, ‘Pick the papers up.’”

And he says the connection would get even more tense, because in isolation, the inmates can’t do or get anything for themselves.

“It’s a weird situation where you have to serve them,” Harkin says. “Whatever need they need , you’re alleged to take care of them(needs).”

‘WE’RE NOT DOING SOCIETY ANY GOOD’ As every day passed in the dark tiers, Harkins says he began to feel trapped like his prisoners; he asked for a transfer back to general population, where he worked until he retired. That wasn’t uncommon. Even now Oregon has a tough time getting officers to figure in segregation units.

Harkins doesn’t have any sympathy for the inmates there - especially those that aren’t trying to figure their answer or a way back to society . But when he thinks about the solitary now, from outside the prison’s walls, he says he finds himself worried the maximum about the unit’s effect on prisoners as its effect on officers.

“Those people are going to be your neighbours some day future,” Harkins says. “And if our system is maintaining people in a negative, antisocial way, we’re not doing ourselves any good. We’re not doing society any good.”

Many officials in Oregon seem to agree. The state has put variety of changes in-situ in recent years. Prison officials have limited the isolation time the inmates spend, and they’ve also started providing therapy. The results thus far are good. Prison officials say they’ve seen the violence rates in their isolation unit, and within the overall prison population, decrease.

INFERENCE This conversation with Harkins in the Isolation units is an eye opener for the struggles a security guard faces in a Prison or any other place. Guards in general are left alone to watch over and do their job in a space with no quality. They develop a need to pour out emotions when talked to.

Guards are usually affected with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or Suicidal thoughts. They are usually not seen in the studies which talk about mental health.

Depression becomes a normal way of life for many officers.

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Prison as a place is designed to keep the society safe from the offenders. But is locking up women offenders really a needed measure to keep the society safe? How is the safety and comfort of the locked up women? Sometimes the public tend to ignore these questions. Women are handled with insensitivity right from the time of arrest and being on under trial. Gender Responsive Prisons require more than the usual. It requires focus on various problems women face both before and after incarceration.

There are around 7 Lakh women and girls in prisons around the world which constitutes only 7% of the total.

4.3%

59%

of the Jail Population in India

Undergoing Life Sentences

Around 18,000 women prisoner are locked up in India.

Nearly 3,400 women prisoners are undergoing life sentences in India.

The population of women offenders is very less that it becomes the reason for the Gender-Biased prisons around the world. Women are deprived of their gender-specific needs and issues. Design of a prison - Impenetrable walls, the tight security, and other design specifications are all designed with men in mind. Women end up suffering the pains of imprisonment and harassments in the prison.

Women are objects of curiosity and stigmatisation in the prisons. They are the most neglected and misunderstood group. They are lodged and prisoned for theft, murder, cheating, drugs and many more cases. Many are illiterate, poor and marginalised, they are often unaware of their sentences when they enter the prison after trial.

Women are judged far more harshly than men. Many are mothers to children and being arrested they hardly get a chance to show motherly affections. Penal codes allow children aged 6 and below to accompany mothers to their Jails. Female prisoners are often harassed and threatened by fellow male inmates. There is a major consequence in the psychology, social and economy of the women. Family ties are lost and parents often abandon girls who are arrested.

WHY

GENDER RESPONSIVE PRISONS ?

Women poses no threat to the security and they rarely escape yet they are imprisoned with maximum control and minimal freedom. Prisoners in general are being controlled in their mobility, behaviour and activities by the carceral architecture. The use of heavy security and infrastructure is a huge waste of money as it only succeeds in making women feel in-secured and have psychological effects. Even prisons named for women are not built for women. They are just replica’s of the institutions housing men. On a contrary they are built with fewer green and open space for outdoor activity and recreational activities.

Women are not provided with facilities that men have. This case is mostly in Indian Context. They have a very limited or no access at all. Men are provided with educational centres, libraries, canteen, and other vocational training which women rarely get privileged with. A constructed prison regime will help them to lead a Law-abiding life after their time in prison. It is also essential to provide collaboration with public to impart skills and to provide counselling sessions.

Governments around the world have now realised Gender based issues need gender based solutions. It has to be gender responsive to meet the special needs of both women and men separately. The UN General Assembly has recently adopted measures to treat female prisoners and non-custodial offenders which are known as the Bangkok Rules.

Women and Men have to different pathways to prison.

A 70 year old women was recently locked up for the charges made for kidnapping and raping. She had a paralysed body and wasn’t able to easily move. It is suprising that she has been in the prison for 18 months. It is even more suprising that five other coaccused including two men have been released on bail. Her husband died during the incident and she had no one to reach to. What really is the use to lock her up? Is she even a possible danger to the society? With no one to help her it could be her last days and what a pity to have your last days in a closed locked up dark and dingy prison.

If women face these situations transgender people face even more violence and abuse because of their appearance. These are very common and it comes from the authorities themselves who are bound to protect them. They are scared of the harassment and are frightened to reach the police even if they need it.

Transgender people in prison face much more harassments, abuse sexual assaults and violence from the inmates and the officers when compared to men and women. Studies show that they 10 times more like to assaulted sexually by inmates and 5 times more by the officers and staff. They are often put in confinement units separating them from the general public.

These struggles faced by the transgender people in prisons are often overlooked around the world. However there is talk and understanding of the required new prison rules and structure to help all genders in common and help them from the physical and mental health problems.

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GROUP THERAPY REHABILITATIVE TRAINING ROLE OF ART

REFORM METHODS

It helps people to get support and encouragement from other members of the group.

Also it helps in taking away the loneliness as people see other people going through the same or worse things. It sets up a role model for the victims as others share about their success in coping up. Also, it creates a safe environment for the victims to talk and practice their behaviours and actions as it usually is a closed group.

Group therapy is so much effective for victims of depression. As reported, about 44% of the patients and victims reported major improvements in life.

If group therapy is a success in the prisons it can be worked out anywhere. Group therapies are tough to take on in a prison environment. Inmates are generally conducive to change, they are resistant to growth. However group therapies are a efficient way to provide mental health service in the prison given there are increases in inmate to mental health professions.

REFORM METHODS

GROUP THERAPY IN PRISON

Group therapies are a form of psychotherapy where individuals share their problems in a group of similarly affected people. It involves one or more therapists addressing a group.

It was very effective as people benefited from one another with each lending support and sharing their emotions. It is basically a way to open your heart to someone with the same issue.

Mentally ill patients are often seen in higher percentages in prisons. Of which inmates who are sentenced to death are the most affected. Only one sixth of the prisoners in death row approach the mental health system whereas the major part of the inmates is said to suffer in silence rather than express themselves and lose respect with peers.

Prisoners are affected by psychotic disorders like bipolar disorder, PTSD, major depressions and schizophrenia. They have to be treated regularly and some have to be treated in hospitals. They attempt one or more suicides or they have frequent suicide ideation. Due to their condition, inmates have to visit group therapies for 4 to 5 days in every week and regular individual checks are a must.

Prisoners even who are severely mentally ill refuse to attend group therapy sessions with inmates for various reasons. Some don’t want to share group discussions or even refuse to attend them. Some don’t want to share with prisoners who had committed crime to children or a an informer. Peaceful group therapies are hard to find and when prisoners are forced to have a inmate of such quality they refuse their presence.

Group therapy is a major success in the prisons around the world. Prisoners have shown good improvements with many of the condemned inmates, resulting in increased medication compliance, less severe mental disease symptoms and a decrease in suicidal ideation.

Social skills and courtesy are emphasized and for several inmates these skills become a behaviour in the long run. Interestingly, in group therapies held in the outside world confidentiality is a tough thing to force and must be repeatedly reminded of, but this is not necessary with the inmates as keeping a secret is a component of the prisoner code and therefore the clients are excellent about remaining quiet at holding on to as a secret of happenings in the group therapy.

Inmates generally are given goals in a group therapy according to their disorders. They usually slide away and begin to talk about recent events in the prisons. They usually talk about the stress of their extended lock downs or the harassments they face from other inmates or an important anniversary or they just pass on their chance to talk. It is also common for prisoners to share the letters they’ve received from people from the outside world. These talks about the recent changes fills others with self awareness and strengthens the group dynamic. Inmates learn valuable coping skills from the other members from the group.

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Aruna Sareen is a prison reform expert who has turned more than 50,000 prisoners lives into a better journey. She teaches “Art of Living� a prison reformative program aimed to teach the prisoners a new way to live. Basically it teaches prisoners to be non-violent, relieves stress syndromes and teach them to understand the mainstream society after their prison time.

She sees them as students rather than prisoners.

She has serial killers, rapists, drug peddlers, petty thieves and illegal poisonous liquor sellers to teach. She has come across a lot of people with mental illness due to various reasons in fight for justice and survival in prisons. She has inflicted some effectiveness with her programmes in reducing the conflicts in the prisons. She is now trying to reform the repeat offenders in police custody.

REFORM METHODS

REHABILITATIVE TRAINING MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS

The program “Art of Living” concentrates on prisoners being trained in yoga and meditation. The inmates are desperate to get out of jails.

Meditations in prisons was introduced in the 1970’s which was logical as it is believed worldwide that it brings Inner peace to mind. The program was seen as a positive one by the officials as it was seen as a way to bring the prison environment at peace and reduce aggression. It is looked as a major treatment in drug and alcohol addictions.

There are several barriers to cross to involve people in these meditation programs.

Rehabilitative programs in jails are usually moral motivations to one and can be taught by anyone by simply knowing about it. But trainers in meditation programs are expected to have the mindfulness themselves. So this has no widespread application in prisons around different locations.

The success rates of these programs often rely on the prisoners as continuous practice of the same even after the jail period is required to have a constant mind. In one such study, the stats show that only 25% of the prisoners are successful in keeping up the practice of meditation and avoiding drugs or substance.

Inmates who participated in meditation and the “Art of Living” program by Mrs Aruna Sareen have shown many of improvements • Sleeping patterns were restored to normal • A better and reduced depression and stress levels.

• They became confident in their self control.

• A clear clarity in mind and energy.

• The capacity to recover from the daily stresses of life improved.

• Clarity in communications with others.

• Improved immunity and physical well-being.

• They felt a freedom from the baggage of past traumas.

• A positive approach to their future.

Inmates have shown rapid positive changes in risk factors associated with criminal behaviour - which includes anxiety, aggression, hostility, moral judgment, in-prison rule infractions, and substance abuse. These changes in psychological health have a long time effect on the prisoners which is indicative in the lower recidivism rates in the participants. On the whole this type of rehabilitative training has shown a significant amount of success to the ones who practice it regularly.

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Contrary to the idea of Indian prisons being violent and dingy spaces, two prisons in India - Tihar Jail, Delhi and Berhampore Central Correction Home, West Bengal - have encouraged and brought in healthy practices to the prisoners, Arts such as Painting, sketching and performing theatre have been an method of reformative technique for prisoners to get a second chance at life.

Prisoners in Tihar and Berhampore embrace the creative freedom given by the prison officials by introducing Art and Theatre as avenues of change. They not only look at it as a skill to meaningfully pass time and a rehabilitative method but also look at it as a job in life when released. Art instructors from nearby Art schools are employed to instruct and teach prisoners.

Officials in prisons contacted many instructors to teach and around 200 have been found to be interested. Over 20 have already picked the skill in less than two years.

REFORM METHODS

ROLE OF ART

Tihar Jail, Delhi + Behampore Home, West Bengal

The Tihar jail has an in-built art gallery which sells the artists paintings. They’ve earned around 5 to 6 lakhs and sold over 60 paintings. This money is then divided into half and half. One going into the owners account and the other used for funding art activities. And also a show booth to exhibit was provided to exhibit their work in the annual Indian Art Festival.

After the positive feedbacks they’ve introduced more types of art - dance and music also yoga for the prisoners to practice.

In the middle of February 2019, inmates took on a stage and played a story written by Rabindranath Tagore. They were applauded for their good work.

This was the second initiative taken by the prison institutes. They introduced ‘Theatre Therapy’ which was taken up by Pradip Bhattacharya, a theatre director. He recognised them as not born criminals but accidental ones which made is job of reforming easier.

As part of the National School of Drama theatre fest a troupe of 26 actors(inmates) staged a play written by Rabindranath Tagore. How iconic is it to play Tagore’s act by the prisoners. He is a immediate relatable character to the prisons.

“Theatre gives a peace of mind. I am relieved of all tensions when I act. I have found Bhattacharya, who is like my father,” inmate-actor Sapan Mehena who has done more than 50 plays in different locations in India.

“When I was sentenced to life, there was a depressing darkness all around, and I thought to myself that my life is over, but when the director encouraged us to do theatre, it was a new platform for living life altogether. I don’t want to lose it now.” Buddhadev Meta, one of the main characters of the play. who is now married to co-actor Nandini.

Art is used by these prisoners as a way to escape the violent environment of a prison. It gives them another shot in life. Relieves them of stress of idleness, harassments and the depressing thought about life. It becomes a way to express themselves with confidence and provides them with a job they can do after their period.

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Justice Center, Leoben, Austria.

Halden Prisons, Norway East Jutland State Prison, Denmark.

CASE STUDIES

JUSTICE CENTER LEOBEN, AUSTRIA

Exterior View of the Prison Campus

Hallways open to sunlight

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View of the Prison Cell

Dinner Tables

Architects - Hohensinn Architektur Completion- November 2004 Area - 27, 346 m2 Capacity - 205 Inmates The prison sits behind the court building which is placed facing the city due to the topography of the plot.

The facade of the courthouse facing the city represents the new claimed self image of the judiciary potraying itself as an open and transparent building.

Following the pavilion system, the concept of a multi-secured prison is developed with staggering of the detention units along the distribution level with overlapping facilities, which can be expanded both horizontally and vertically. This is behind the upstream entrance, administration and the visitor area.

In Leoben, this system was implemented very compact, whereby the most important organizational and design criterion was the optimization of the quality of stay for employees and inmates.

In the process, living conditions were created that are similar to everyday life in freedom with regard to living, working and leisure situations and, at best, make rehabilitation measures superfluous.

The detention units are designed like shared apartments, each of which accommodates up to fifteen people.

Each unit has a kitchenette, sanitary block, gym and lounge as well as a loggia, which extends the internal freedom of movement by the dimension of “stepping outside�.

Work and leisure facilities are designed in such a way that inmates can visit them unaccompanied and independently. This relieves the employees and prevents complete incapacitation.

The courtyards assigned to a department, the rooftop walking garden and the sports facilities are filters between the inmates and the wall or designed in such a way that no unauthorized contact can be made with the outside world.

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HALDEN PRISON NORWAY.

View of the Halden prison with simple cube like structures.

View Of the Prison Cell

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Prayer Hall

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Wall with mural in the prison

Architects - Erik Møller Architects and HLM Architects Completion- 2010 Area- 27, 500 m2 Capacity- 251 This prison hosts society’s most difficult members, an institution defined by security, both physical and technological, yet organized and designed to be humane. Halden Prison stands as the Norwegians will to respect human rights.

From site selection through to completion on site, the project security provided a fundamental framework to work with.

The main idea defining the project was that high quality surroundings which is connected to nature, can help build self-esteem and respect in the prisoners. It was also to promote and inspire new living patterns amongst the prisoners. The other main parallel emphasis was the security.

The project was organized with simple volumes placed within a beautiful woodland landscape.

It breaks away from the traditional prison design by emphasising on using High quality materials, Generous dimensions, Openness and Light. It created a new perspective on prison architecture.

Each building had distinguished material selection and was connected to the surrounding landscape with varying degrees to suit the function of the building.

The main aim of the prison was to provide a facility that is not only focused on detention but also on the rehabilitation of prisoners, into a life of non-criminal behaviour.

The facility had strict security aided by its design and organization. But it also provided the prisoners with a certain degree of freedom which they can progress through.

This facility was designed for both men and women also breaking away from the usual men minded prison planning tradition. The prisoners are allowed to participate in leisure, cultural, religious, educational and work based activities.

The project was designed to replicate the environment outside the facility. The zoning of the sleeping blocks, the leisure and work activities in plan are zoned separately within the prison to represent the routines of normal life where people have to travel between work, leisure and home. This model of organization is in context of Norway.

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EAST JUTLAND STATE PRISON DENMARK.

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Architects - Friis Og Moltke Completion- 2006 Area- 28, 500 m2 Capacity- 228 Inmates Located securely in the open, airy, hilly landscape is the prison in Horsens.

It was inaugurated in 2006 and is the most secure prison in Denmark. The facility is located in Enner Mark west of Horsens a open hilly area surrounded by fields, scattered farm buildings, grazing cattle and hedges – and with expansive, uninterrupted views.

One of the main aims was to tone down the institutional character of the facility and create an environment, which reflects the prison term at the facility like subsequent life outside the walls.

Opportunities for spending time outdoors and recreation for the inmates were provided by the structural division and the buildings position in the landscape In other words, the zoning of the prison reflects an entire community within the walls.

There are three different zones, each with its own employment section; - Special high security zone; - Cultural centre with a chapel, a grocery shop, sports facilities and library.

- Visitors zone, a gatehouse and a staff zone.

The new conditions create both staff and inmates with a brighter, more spacious and more humane environment.

The way the building is planned means that they can be sectioned into units for as few as six inmates. But the buildings can also support larger communities in the individual sections, if conditions allow.

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OPEN PRISON SYSTEM, India.

PANAPTICON - Jeremy Bentham East Jutland State Prison, Denmark.

PRISON SYSTEMS

OPEN PRISON SYSTEM INDIA

Prisoners are allowed to teach classes in prison schools. Children of the inmates attend them

Prisoners marry their Co prisoners and have kids attending schools inside the premises

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Prisoners live in temporary clay huts

Founder of the System Established- 1953, Uttar Pradesh Open prisons as compared to the controlled jails have relatively less stringent rules.

They go by many names like, open air camps, minimum-security prison or prison without bars.

The basic rule of an open prison is that the Jail has minimum security and functions on the self-discipline of the inmates.

Every state in India has a prison law, like the Andhra Pradesh Prison Rules and the Rajasthan Prisoners Rules, 1979. Seventeen states are reported to have functional open jails with 63 open prisons and Rajasthan having 29 such prisons, the highest that any state has. Tamil Nadu and Kerala with 3 each.

“Prisons without walls, bars and locks.” - is the definition given by the Rajasthan Prisoners Open Air camp rules to the Open Prison System.

Inmates in open prisons are free to go out of the prison to work daily after the first roll call in the morning and have to return before the allotted second roll call which is usually around 6.30 in the evening. The jail does not confine them completely but requires them to earn their living to support their families, living with them inside the jail thus cutting the costs of providing food and other basic amenities to the prisoners.

“Such prisons provide no physical security against escape but rely on the self-discipline of the inmates, provide the conditions most favourable to the rehabilitation of carefully selected prisoners.” - states The Nelson Mandela Rules or The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

In 1980, the All-India Committee on Jail Reform recommended the government to set up and develop open prisons in each state and Union Territories similar to the Sanganer open camp. Sanganer open camp is one of the most important open prison in Rajasthan and houses nearly 400 inmates.

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The open prisons in India involve the prisoners mostly in activities like, - Farming, - Animal husbandry etc.

Convicts are often sent to Open jails for 2 purposes For the aim to slowly hamper his/her level of socialization, rather than directly confining the convict during a closed prison, as this will negatively affect the psychological state of the prisoner.

Secondly, so as to assist the prisoner to slowly re-socialize with the planet . While serving within the closed prison, the prisoner is sure to lose touch with the surface world and hence wouldn’t be ready to rehabilitate himself after the discharge .

However, in India, only the second purpose is accepted. Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh have the utmost number of active open prisons in India.

A number of the foremost popular Open Prisons are located in: Yerwada, Maharashtra.

Akola, Maharashtra.

Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

Paithan, Maharashtra.

Sangamner, Maharashtra.

Bikaner, Rajasthan Prisoners are transferred from closed to traditional prison. Only selected prisoners are transferred from closed or traditional prison to an open prison. These prisoners in Maharashtra generally do agricultural work to earn their living and prisoners in Rajasthan also work on factories and industries.

The money earned by these prisoners is spent by them for his or her families and no amount except a little administration charge is to be paid to the prison authority.

CRITICISMS OF THE OPEN JAILS IN INDIA - Unnecessary and arbitrary provisions for ineligibility, which filter many deserving convicts.

- Under-Utilisation of the Open Prisons - These prisons have a capacity to accommodate 25776 prisoners however, only 3786 prisoners are currently in these prisons (as of 2015). This shows that despite the heavy overcrowding within the closed prisons, open prisons are vacant.

- The prisoners in most states are selected by a committee, who haven’t any accountability over them, as they’re not expected to supply reasons for his or her selections. This results in partiality and corruption.

- Open Prisons are the sole rehabilitative prisons in India. Which also favour only a little number of convicts. There’s a requirement for more rehabilitative provisions for other convicts, so as to scale back the amounts of custodial deaths.

- The rules and laws governing the choice and administration are extremely old and thus unfit for this situations.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN PRISON SYSTEMS CLOSED PRISON SYSTEM

OPEN PRISON SYSTEM

1. Fort like closed structure

1. No structure

2. Tall Gates + Walls + Bars

2. None

3. Watch towers

3. None

4. Lock ups and High security cells

4. None

5. Thousands of Locks and Keys

5. No Locking system

6. 24 hours of surveillance

6. None

7. Three times counting/ Roll Call

7. Morning and evening roll call

8. Hundreds of guards: 1 Guard required for 8. Handful of prison staff required or 1 staff every 6 prisoner in-charge: Sanganer has 1 guard for every 80 prisoners ratio.

9. Prisoner Working as guards

9. Prisoner Governing Body - Bandi Panchayat

10. Senior prison staff required to manage prison

10. None

11. Massive kitchen and store house

11. None

12. Operational cost per annum Jaipur Central Hail - Rs. 18, 72, 60, 000

12. Operational cost per annum Sanganer Open Prison - 24, 00,000

13. Inhuman Living conditions

13. Living in the open in most cases. Resembling a village like set up

14. Prison Riots

14. None

15. Prison Break/ Prisoner Escape

15. None

16. Prisoner Suicides

16. None

17. Other forms of prison violence (prisoner fights, gang wars, custodial torture)

17. None

18. Prisoners are allowed limited interviews with Family

18. Prisoners live with family

19. Discipline achieved through surveillance 19. Self Governance and massive man-force 20. High rate of Recidivism

20. None or Negligible

21. Confinement

21. Liberty Humane Prisons

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STORIES My name is Jivraj. I was imprisoned for an incident related to a property.

See, nobody really wants to fight but it happens sometimes.

For years, while I was at the Ajmer Central Jail my family would send me money. I reversed that process when I was moved to the open prison in Sanganer.

I now work as a labourer related to building construction and make a reasonable Rs. 20-30,000 a month, and I send Rs. 5,000 or Rs. 10,0000 or Rs. 15,000 home as the situation depends.

What the closed prison does is that it takes away your self-confidence as a result of which even a active person starts to think that he is useless. The open prison does the reverse: it creates a hunger for the individual to go out and prove that he or she is not useless.

The first time one gets work – whatever kind of work at whatever wage – is like nectar. When I finish my term after a year, I intend to go back to my agriculture in Ajmer district.

Jivraj, Inmate, Open Prison, Sanganer.

The act of staying idle is the one which batters the brains more than the punishment. I hade nothing really to do in the conventional prison.

When I was moved to the Open Prison in Sanganer, making my own clothes as a basic step to remove the idleness. I could go and buy fabric from the market, put my old kameez on top of it to get the outline, and then stitched.

I did waste fabric in my first few trials, but today I am able to stitch my own clothes. Are these clothes perfect? Not really.

It’s ok if ladies’ garments are not well-tailored. If I could get some training in sewing and weaving maybe I could set up my own shop. Let’s see where life takes me)…

Pooja Chhabra, Inmate, Open Prison, Sanganer.

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2%

30%

Accidental and Unplanned murders

Unutilized Seats in Open Prisons

57%

Accidental and Unplanned murders

41%

Other types of Offence India has 63 open jails with a capacity of 5,370, enough to house 1.28% of the 419,623 prisoners across the country.

Majority of the prisoners have perpetrated an unplanned or accidental offence. Most fights are land related

2%

13 to 15 years

81%

First Time Offenders

22%

11 to 13 years

48%

9 to 11 years to shift to open prisons

28%

7 to 9 years The major part of the prisoners were first time offenders of the law. The remaining had previous police records.

The chart shows the average time taken to shift the prisoner from closed prisons to open prisons

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PANOPTICON or INSPECTOR HOUSE

PANOPTICON - INSPIRED PRISON IN AUTUN, FRANCE.

WATCH TOWER IN THE CENTER

MODEL OF A PANOPTICON PRISON SYSTEM

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Founder of the System - Jeremy Bentham Established- 1791 Michael Foucault a French philosopher revitalised the Idea of Panopticon in his book ‘Discipline and Punish’ in 1975. He describes a prisoner in a panopticon as “an object of information, never an object of communication, He is seen but he does not see”.

“The principle is central inspection” Panopticon is a way of surveillance developed before the times of cameras. This system can be used not only in prisons but also in Factories, hospitals and more institutional scale buildings.

The basic idea of the panopticon is - A central tower with cells surrounding them. The central tower hosts the watchman. In the surrounding cells are the prisoners(in prisons) or patients(in hospitals) or workers(in factories), depending upon the building type. The building is built so that there is light shone bright on the cells so that the watchman is able to see everyone in the cells. However, the people in the cells aren’t able to see the watchman or the one sitting in the tower. So there is a self assumption that they are under observation.

The idea is very much similar to that of the CCTV’s, Central Inspection - Human eyes hidden from view - the thought of observation. There are certain activities which are better conducted when observed was the main thought of the Bentham’s Panoptic.

“Bentham laid down the principle that power should be visible and unverifiable.

Visible: the inmate will constantly have before his eyes the tall outline of the central tower from which he is spied upon.

Unverifiable: the inmate must never know whether he is being looked at any one moment; but he must be sure that he may always be so. In order to make the presence or absence of the inspector unverifiable, so that the prisoners, in their cells, cannot even see a shadow” - Discipline and Punish, 1975.

This idea of unverifiable made the person feel a state of consciousness and kept him disciplined without anyone forcing it. Eventually the guards saw a change in character as the subjects regulated themselves after consistent monitoring and prompt punishments.

Bentham envisioned this type of surveillance in schools, prisons or asylums, but he detailed only the design for Panopticon prison.

Overall View Of The Prison

Relationship between the Guard And The Prisoners

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TYPES OF PRISON PLANNING 1. LATERAL TYPE AUBURN STATE PRISON, NY, USA - Inside the city - U Block - Cellular Confinement - Inside Cell - Indirect Supervision Symmetry

2. LATERAL TYPE

Symmetry

SING SING PRISON, NEW YORK USA - Inside the city - Auburn System - Cellular Confinement - Inside Cell - Indirect Supervision

3. RADIAL TYPE

EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY, PHILADELPHIA, USA - Inside the city - Radial Type - Pennsylvania System - Cellular Confinement - Outside Cell - Indirect Supervision Symmetry

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4. RADIAL TYPE

Symmetry

PENTONVILLE PRISON, LONDON, UK. - Inside the city - Radial Type - Pennsylvania System - Cellular Confinement - Outside Cell - Indirect Supervision

5. TELEPHONE POLE TYPE FRESNES PRISON, FRANCE - Outside the city - Telephone Pole Type - Series of Lateral Types - Cellular Confinement - Outside Cell - Indirect Supervision Symmetry

6. CRUCIFORM TYPE IPSWICH PRISON, ENGLAND. - Inside the city - Cellular Confinement - Outside Cell - Indirect Supervision

Symmetry

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7. HOLLOW SQUARE TYPE NEWGATE PRISON, ENGLAND. - Inside the City - Hollow Square Type - Courtyard - Dormitories - Indirect Supervision Symmetry

8. SQUARE TYPE

Symmetry

VENTURE COUNTY MAIN JAIL, CALIFORNIA, USA. - Inside the City - Square Type - New Generation Design - Have Gallery - Direct Supervision - Cellular Confinement

Symmetry

PRISON DESIGN BRIEFING SYSTEM, ENGLAND. - Inside the City - New Generation Design - Have Gallery - Direct Supervision - Cellular Confinement

9. RECTANGULAR TYPE

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10. TRIANGULAR TYPE

Symmetry

WOODHILL PRISON, ENGLAND. - Far from the City - New Generation Design - Have Gallery - Direct Supervision - Cellular Confinement - Open Association Area

10. F - TYPE

F TYPE PRISON, TURKEY. - Far from the city - Cellular Confinement - Solitary System - Indirect Supervision

Symmetry

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CONCLUSION

_01_ Prisons build should be gender sensitive Needs of men, women and trangendered people should be considered in the design.

_03_ Prisoners should be given a chance to turn into a new leaf as once they come into the prison and realise the worngdoings they’ve done they understand the consequence quickly and are desperate to get out and a start a new life.

_02_

People in prisons - Prisoner, the guards and visitors should be kept safe. Designs should help reduce violence in the prisons.

_04_ In no way is physical violence just. Guards should be regularly health checked as heavy mental stress to them leads them to actions of violence against the prisoners.

_05_

_06_

_07_

_08_

The prison staff ratios should be checked regularly as this ratio becomes a huge impact in mental health of both prisoner and a guard.

Alternative methods to treat elderly persons in prisons should be looked upon.

Their needs should be addressed with special care.

GENERAL

Prison staff should be properly trained in treating people with mental problems during emergencies.

Poor physical and mental health in the prisoners should be properly considered and more reformative or rehabilitative methods should be introduced.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALL PRISONS

_09_

Governments should reduce or atleast try to reduce sentences of Life time imprisonments in crimes that are not violent.

_11_ Prison maintaining government bodies should take regular reviews of their penal systems and set rules to follow to treat a prisoner with all the rights he or she holds.

_10_ Considering the safety of women in prisons should be a priority. Prison sentences to women should be reduced.

Women with an unavoidable situation should be provided with needs that women need.

_12_ Governments should review whether their current way to punishment is playing a role to address crime or or introduce reform strategies such as education to produce more results

_13_

_14_

_15_

_16_

Prisons should reduce the time a prisoner spends time in solitary confinements. This affects them the mentally. Only at times when it is absolutely necessary should the prisoner be sent to solitary confinement.

There should be regular checks in examination of both the number of prisoners imprisoned and the total capacity a prison can hold.

Reforming them or teaching them social skills should be taken as soon as the prisoner comes to the prison.

Imprisonment should be the last resort rather than the first one. The use of more non-custodial measures should be taken into consideration. The pre-trial judgements should not be necessarily imprisoning the defendant in prisons.

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A good and right design can make the required difference in a prisoner’s mental health.

Times have changed and the prisons need a new look. The current prison typology designs were originally developed by the English forces and is terribly outdated.

Mentally ill patients are 10 times more in prisons when compared to on the hospital beds.

They are the main population in the total number mental health patients around the world.

Halden prisons in Norway is now becoming an example to the rest of the world on how a humanistic prison should be built. The architectural impact on correctional institutions is true but a topic to be explored in major. The halden prison with its generous dimensions, openess, the connection to nature, the use of quality materials has breaken away from the usual highly secured dark prison buildings.

Open prison system is in itself a great success but is not been used around the world by many countries as the general fear of prisoners escaping blinds them. Also open prison systems are generally to prisoners who are about to be released. Open prisons encourage prisoners to mingle with the public and socialise. It teaches them life skills to survive.

Researchers have generally listed two theories to design a prison.

1. Deprivation Theory - An inmate who is put in a restricted environment is unsatisfied with the basic needs provided may adapt to the situation with maladaptive behaviours to satisfy the needs.

2. Situational Theory - One’s perception to experience and the likeliness to engage in violence can be impacted by Architectural and social determinants.

The existing prison typologies around the world are designed for the value of money and easy movement of the inmates. This is the case of the Oakland prison once proclaimed as the future prison now is criticized for its bad design. Oakland reduced a prisoners cost estimate less than half of that the UK spends.

The design for a prisoner should get rid of their idleness. Reform measures such the “Art Of Living” can be used a lot more to teach them to be fit and to get a positive look at life. Art can be used as a regular reform method as it gives them the creative freedom.

They learn a life skill to survive after the term. More leisure activities can bring a positive mood to their stressed minds. The thought of life after prison is the most devastating for any inmate as he becomes afraid of the society. Teaching them how to interact with the public and how to get over situations that trigger the crimes they’ve done before is very important to reduce the recidivism levels.

Following are the design elements that can be followed to design a better prison.

KEY

DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR PRISONS

Following are the design elements that can be followed to design a better prison.

No overcrowding of the prisons and less number of Double Cells - This gives inmates an increased sense of privacy and the ability control their environment. Inmates can be free from harassments from inmates.

View of nature imagery or plants can reduce pulse rate and blood pressure, and improve cognitive functioning. Improving connection with Nature.

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Corridor length: Echoes and repetitive sounds will worsen psychosis a condition where you lose touch of reality

More windows and natural light reduce depression, decrease length of stay, improve sleep, lessen agitation, and reduce pain. This is also proven in the open plan of the Halden Prison.

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Inmates exposed to landscape art show less agitation they usually prefer nature images, positive facial expressions, and depictions of caring relationships.

Division of Space: This discrete private spaces for staff to relax has shown an increase in nurse-patient interactions.

Nature imagery/Plants: These reduce pulse rate and blood pressure, and improve cognitive functioning.

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