Our Prisons Punitive or Rehabilitative? An Analysis of Theory and Practice

Gul, Rais

doi:10.13169/polipers.15.3.0067

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Policy Perspectives: The Journal of the Institute of Policy Studies

Volume 15, Issue 3

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Our Prisons Punitive or Rehabilitative? An Analysis of Theory and Practice

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Author(s): Rais Gul

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2018

Journal: Policy Perspectives: The Journal of the Institute of Policy Studies

Publisher: Pluto Journals

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Abstract

This paper identifies the gap between theory and practice in terms of prisoners ‘reintegration/rehabilitation through literature-based research with focus on Pakistan. It suggests that in contrast to international norms, legal codes and theoretical objectives to ensure rehabilitative prison regimes, jails are characterized by myriad problems including overcrowding, torture, understaffing, under-budgeting, lack of basic needs to the prisoners and proper training for staff etc. Besides, obsolete prison rules rooted into the colonial, inefficient criminal justice system and State's indifference towards prisons have aggravated the problems manifold. This research recommends a rehabilitative prison regime and suggests ways to achieve it in a larger framework. The moral and professional integrity of the staff needs to be restored by effective trainings. Programmatic intervention must be based on individual assessments. Observing the prisoners’ rights recognized in international norms, Islamic injunctions and Pakistan's own legal codes along with revisiting colonial prison rules might be helpful.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.2307/j50009730

Journal ID (jcode): polipers

Title: Policy Perspectives: The Journal of the Institute of Policy Studies

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN: 1812-1829

ISSN: 1812-7347

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2018

Volume: 15

Issue: 3 ( doiID: 10.13169/polipers.15.issue-3 )

Pages: 67-83

Affiliations

Rais Gul PhD is Lecturer in Sociology, Islamia College Peshawar.

Article

Publisher ID: polipers.15.3.0067

DOI: 10.13169/polipers.15.3.0067

SO-VID: eb27035e-a926-4e52-a577-36a63976ebb2

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Education,Religious studies & Theology,Social & Behavioral Sciences,Law,Economics

Bibliography

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Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Ahmad, K. The memories of imprisonment. Lahore: Manshurat Publications, 2009.

[2] Amnesty International. The state of world human rights. London: Peter Benenson House, 2013.

[3] Asia Human Rights Commission. The state of human rights in Pakistan, 2011. Retrieved from: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Full_Report_3065.pdf

[4] Aulakh, M. A. Pakistan prison code: Jail manual. Lahore: Law Books, 2006.

[5] Bhutta, M. H, and Siddique A. “Situation of prisons in India and Pakistan: shared legacy, same challenges.” South Asian Studies 27, no. 1 (2012): 171

[6] Brooks, T. “Rethinking Punishment.” International Journal of Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law 1 (2007): 27-34.

[7] Bryan, S. Radicalisation and de-radicalisation in prison – What should we do with violent extremist offenders? London: Penal Reform International, 2014.

[8] Butt, Q. Terrorist nurseries: Jail breeding militants. The Express Tribunal Pakistan. January 22^nd 2011.

[9] Center for Constitutional Rights New York. Report on torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Center for Constitutional Rights, 2006. pp3-4

[10] Chaudhary, I. Prisoners' vulnerability lacking awareness: Inaugural session of one day workshop. (2013) http://ips.ac.nz/publications/files/d3882d12a55.pdf on 27^th December 2013

[11] Conley, J. 1992. “The Historical Relationship Among Punishment, Incarceration, and Corrections.” In S. Stojkovic and R. Lovell (Eds), Corrections: An Introduction, Cincinnati, OH: Anderson.

[12] Council of Europe. European Prison Rules, (2006). http://www.coe.int/t/dgi/criminallawcoop/Presentation/Documents/European-Prison-Rules

[13] Demmert, L., & Zuniga, L. Prison: Problems and challenges for America. Santiago: FLASCO, 2008.p. 11

[14] European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control. Survey of United Nations and other Best Practices in the Treatment of Prisoners in the Criminal Justice System. Helsinki, 2010.

[15] Foucault, M. Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage, 2012.

[16] Gaynes, E. “Reentry: Helping former prisoners return to communities.” Baltimore, MD: Technical Assistance Resource Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation (2005). p.13

[17] Gilligan, J. “Punishment fails. Rehabilitation works.” The New York Times 19 (2012)

[18] Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Annual report 2013-14. Peshawar: Home Department Inspectorate of Prison. p.14

[19] Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Report on the status of the human rights, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/report14/AR2013.pd Retrieved 29th January 2016

[20] International Center for Prison Studies (2012). Retrieve http://www.prisonstudies.org/sites/prisonstudies.org/files/resources/downloads/news.

[21] International Crisis Group Asia. Reforming Pakistan's prison system (2011). Retrieved from http://www.crisisgroup.org/ on 30^th January, 2016

[22] Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan. Jail Reforms.1997 Report No 23. www.Ljcp.gov.pk on 20^th August 2014.

[23] Law Commission of India 79^th Report. Law commission report, (1979). Available on http//lawcommissionofindia.nicin/51100/report79pdf.

[24] Macht, M. W. and José B. Ashford. Introduction to social work and social welfare. Merrill Publishing Company, 1991.

[25] Manaworker, M. B. Prison management: problems and solutions. Gyan Publishing House, 2006.

[26] Marshall, C. “Prison, prisoners and the bible.” Restorative Directions Journal (2) 1 (2002)

[27] Miller, Nan D. “International protection of the rights of prisoners: Is solitary confinement in the United States a violation of international standards.” Cal. W. Int'l LJ 26 (1995): 139-172

[28] Minallah, A. “Overcrowded prisons”. Paper presented in seventh ACPF World Conference on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice, New Delhi, 1999, 23 - 26 November

[29] National Economic and Social Forum, Reintegration of prisoners (Forum report No 22) Dublin: The National Economic & Social Forum Frederick House, 2000. p.69

[30] Nguyen, J. “A comparative study of prison overpopulation and its consequences”. Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Summer Research Fellowship (2012) 1-34

[31] OHCHR, Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners, Accessed on 10^th July 2018 https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/basicprinciplestreatmentofprisoners.aspx

[32] Othmani, A. Beyond prison: the fight to reform prison systems around the world. Vol. 3. Berghahn Books, 2008. p.xii

[33] Parekh, V. Prison bound: the denial of juvenile justice in Pakistan. Human Rights Watch, 1999

[34] Penal Reform International. The Kamapla declaration. Retrieved from https://www.penalreform.org/wp-content/…/rep-1996-kampala-declaration-en.pdf.

[35] Prisons Reform Trust UK. Report, available at http;//www.wsws.org/articles/2005/sep2005/pri.

[36] Quaker Council for European Affairs. The social reintegration of ex-prisoners in Council of Europe Member States. (2011) http://www.cepprobation.org/uploaded files/rprt-reintegration-full-en-may-2011.pdf Retrieved on 15th May 2015

[37] Raju, L.P. “Historical revolution of prison system in India”. Indian Journal of Applied Research, 5(4), (2014) 298-300.

[38] Reid, S. T. “Crime and Criminology Hinsdale.” Ill.: Dryden (1976), p.513

[39] Rotman, E. “Do criminal offenders have a constitutional right to rehabilitation.” J. Crim. L. & Criminology 77 (1987): 1023-1068

[40] Roy, J.G. Prisons and society: A study of the Indian jail system. Gyan Publishing House, 1989.p.32

[41] Singh, I. J. Indian prison: A sociological enquiry. Concept Publishing Company, 1979.p.1

[42] Stuijt, A. “Secret AIDS-death Report in South African Prisons Released.” Digital Journal, 2 Feb. 2009. Web. July 2012. <http://digitaljournal.com/article/266405>

[43] Tapscott, C. “A study of best practice in prison governance.” CSPR! research (2005).

[44] The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Retrieved from http://www.na.gov.pk/

[45] The Express Tribune. Overcrowded prisons, no separate jail for militants, senate committee informed. ET May 17^Th 2011

[46] The Express Tribune. Overcrowded prisons, no separate jail for militants, senate committee informed. ET May 17^Th 2011

[47] Tkachuk, B, and Roy, W. World prison population: facts, trends and solutions. European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations, 2001

[48] Torcia, Charles E., and Francis, Wharton's criminal law. Vol. 1. Clark Boardman Callaghan, 1993.

[49] Travis, J, Amy L. S, and Michelle W. “From prison to home: The dimensions and consequences of prisoner reentry.” Washington DC: The Urban Institute, 2001. p.37

[50] United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, Prison Reform and Alternatives to Imprisonment. New York: UNODC, 2011, retrieved from http://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/UNODC_Prison_ reform_concept_note.pdf

[51] United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime. Standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners. Accessed on 10^th July 2018 from https://www.unodc.org/pdf/criminlalJustice.

[52] United Nations Treaty Series. International convention on civil and political rights of prisoners, New York, 1976.

[53] United Nations. Introductory handbook on the prevention of recidivism and the social reintegration of offenders, New York: United Nations Office, 2012.

[54] United States. International prison condition. New York: United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy & Human Rights, 2012.

[55] United States. International prison condition. New York: United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy & Human Rights, 2012.

[56] United States. International prison condition. New York: United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy & Human Rights, 2012.

[57] Walmsley, R. “World Prison Population List, King's College London, International Centre for Prison Studies.” The Institute for Democracy and Conflict Resolution website (2011).

[58] Warriach, A. Prison reforms. Dawn Islamabad 4^th September 2016

[59] Young, P. The Prison Cell: The start of a better approach to prison management. ASI (Research) Limited, 1987. P.4