From confinement to rehabilitation

Mujeeb Ali
The primary purpose of imprisonment has long oscillated between retribution, deterrence, and reformation. Recently, a growing consensus among sociologists and legal professionals supports the notion that prisons should primarily serve as institutions for reformation rather than mere punishment, believing that society benefits more from rehabilitating offenders than from simply punishing them. “Hate the sin, love the sinner,” Gandhi once said. Sociologists link crime to socio-economic factors like poverty, lack of education, and inequality. Émile Durkheim argued that crime is inevitable and that society’s response reflects its values. He advocated for rehabilitation over punishment to address the root causes. Robert K. Merton supported this view, stressing the need to address societal strains. Merton’s strain theory suggests that providing education, vocational training, and mental health support can reduce recidivism and help offenders reintegrate into society. From a legal perspective, the justice system’s role goes beyond punishment to provide offenders the chance to reform. This approach supports restorative justice, which seeks to repair harm through reconciliation between the offender and victim, and often includes community involvement to support healing and rehabilitation. Taking the opportunity from the aforementioned discussion, it is important to understand the conditions of prisoners in Sindh’s prisons. However, the situation may differ in other provinces. To my knowledge, prisons in Sindh are transforming from mere confinement to a focus on rehabilitation. According to data collected from official sources, Sindh province contains 27 prisons, of which only 22 are operational. The current total population of prisoners in all these prisons is 22,827, including 4,022 convicts, 561 condemned prisoners, 17,992 undertrials, 191 detenues, and 61 civil prisoners. Among them are a few female prisoners, juveniles, and mothers with their babies. The prison department in Sindh has undergone a transformation, now rebranded as the Sindh Prison & Corrections Service (SP&CS) under the 2019 Act. This legislation has eliminated colonial-era inhumane practices and renamed incarceration centres from “jails” to “Correctional Facilities.” Inspector General of Sindh Prisons, Kazi Nazir Ahmed, promotes rehabilitation over mere confinement, collaborating with educational and vocational institutions to equip inmates with market-relevant skills, reducing reoffending. Major reforms include improved diets with a biweekly updated menu that maintains food quality and meets nutritional standards, alongside special care for pregnant women. Healthcare has also improved, with more doctors hired and a larger budget allocated to better manage the prison population’s health. These initiatives show a shift towards a more humane and effective approach to incarceration. Rehabilitation activities in SP&CS have expanded to include arts, handicrafts, and music, helping inmates develop skills and self-esteem. In October 2023, Central Prison & Correctional Facility (CP&CF) Karachi, in collaboration with the Pakistan Arts Council, held a three-day event where crafts made by prisoners were displayed, raising Rs 2 million for inmates and their families. The SP&CS has partnered with FAST (NCUES) for academic expertise and STEVTA to provide vocational training, now available in five prisons, with plans for further expansion. The SP&CS also offers community service internships for university students to support rehabilitation efforts. However, with the current issue of overpopulation in prisons, these steps may not yield any positive results. For instance, the CP&CF Karachi currently houses over 7,000 inmates, far exceeding its authorised capacity of 2,400. Similarly, District Prison & Correctional Facility (DP&CF) Malir accommodates around 5,000 inmates, despite its capacity being just 2,200. To realise the true spirit of these reforms, the government must address the issue of overpopulation to safeguard inmates from unusual challenges. The ongoing reforms in Sindh’s prison system demonstrate how prioritising rehabilitation over retribution can lead to significant positive outcomes. Reformation allows the criminal justice system to address the root causes of criminal behaviour, reduce recidivism, and contribute to a more just society. There is wisdom in finding better ways to rehabilitate prisoners for a better tomorrow. As history and current evidence suggest the true measure of a society’s civilisation lies in its capacity to reform rather than merely punish.