Prison reform and human dignity: High Court urges segregation, staffing, fair wages, parole reform, and better facilities.

Prison conditions were found to require systemic reform, with the Court emphasising that imprisonment does not extinguish human dignity and that prison administration must support both social protection and reformation. It called for scientific classification and segregation of prisoners, improved staffing and training, reasonable wages for prison work, victim care arrangements, promotion of work culture and open prisons, better facilities for prisoners and staff, and a rational parole policy. The request for conjugal visits was declined as beyond the Court's jurisdiction. Wide-ranging reform directions were issued to the State to improve prison administration and living conditions.

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Issues: Whether the prison conditions disclosed in the petition warranted judicial directions for reform, segregation, staffing, wages, work opportunities, parole policy, and ancillary facilities for prisoners and prison staff.

Analysis: The petition disclosed overcrowding, mixing of habitual offenders with first offenders, inadequate staffing, poor work incentives, and deficiencies in prison administration. The Court held that imprisonment does not extinguish human dignity and that the prison system must serve both social protection and reformation. It emphasised scientific classification and segregation of prisoners, better staffing and training, reasonable wages for prison work, creation of victim care arrangements, promotion of work culture and open prisons, improved facilities for prisoners and staff, and a rational parole policy. One request, relating to conjugal visits, was declined as lying outside the Court's jurisdiction.

Conclusion: The petition was substantially accepted and wide-ranging reform directions were issued to the State for improving prison administration and conditions.

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