Model Prisons Act, 2023:
Union Home Ministry recently said that comprehensive ‘Model Prisons Act, 2023’ has been finalized.
- The government had earlier decided to review and revise the colonial-era outdated Prison Act in tune with contemporary modern-day needs and correctional ideology.
- The Model Prison Act, 2023 may serve as a guiding document for the States, and for adoption in their jurisdiction.
- Union Home Ministry had assigned the task of revision of the Prisons Act, 1894 to the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
- The Bureau prepared a draft after holding wide-ranging discussions with State Prison authorities, correctional experts, and others.
- It has been prepared with the objective of holistically providing guidance and addressing the gaps in the existing Prisons Act.
- Some salient features of the new Model Prisons Act include provision for security assessment and segregation of prisoners, and individual sentence planning.
- Grievance redressal, prison development board, attitudinal change towards prisoners, provision of separate accommodation for women prisoners, and transgender are some of the other features.
