Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant proposed a significant shift in the approach towards incarceration on Saturday, suggesting that prisons should be renamed as correction homes. He stressed that skill development is crucial for the successful reintegration of inmates into society after their release.
Gurgaon Event Highlights Reformative Justice
The CJI was in Gurgaon to inaugurate an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and a diploma institute at the Bhondsi jail complex. He also participated in a seminar focused on correctional justice and skill development. Justice Surya Kant articulated that the purpose of justice extends beyond mere punishment. "Justice does not end with punishment; it evolves through renewal," he stated. He emphasized that this renewal is possible only when society learns to view individuals not by their past mistakes but by their future potential.
He firmly rejected the retributive "eye-for-an-eye" philosophy, asserting India's belief in a reformatory approach. "I don't believe that fear creates better citizens or that a person's identity can be permanently tethered to the worst moment in their past. Rather, I always believe that human beings flourish through dignity, opportunity, and liberty," the CJI said. He explained that circumstances, deprivation, and structural inequities often lead people astray, not innate malice.
Challenges of Reintegration in Modern Society
Justice Surya Kant highlighted the formidable challenges prisoners face upon release. He pointed out that traditional support systems have weakened, families are smaller, and migration has left many without a stable network. "When individuals step out of prison into such an environment, reintegration becomes not just challenging but precarious. Without support, many are drawn again into cycles of marginalisation and conflict with the law," he warned.
He specifically addressed the plight of poor migrant laborers who, when entangled in the legal system, face disproportionate barriers due to lack of documentation, language issues, and local support.
A Blueprint for the Future: Planned Reintegration and Tech Solutions
The CJI outlined a concrete plan for the next phase of prison reforms, centered on systematic reintegration. He proposed the formation of district-level reintegration boards. These boards would include probation officers, employers, civil society members, and mental health professionals to create a concrete plan for every individual's release.
In a notable suggestion, Justice Surya Kant referenced a technological paradigm shift in the United Kingdom, facilitated by a Bengaluru-based software company. The system involves providing certain convicts with a monitoring chip, allowing them to serve part of their sentence at home within a defined radius. "I would say that it's not a case of surveillance, but it is being regulated. They are allowed to continue their personal lives so that their financial stability, emotional bonds, children, and the invisible victims, the families, are considered," he explained, advocating for a similar model in India.
By equipping inmates with vocational skills and a structured post-release plan, the CJI concluded, they can be transformed from societal liabilities into productive assets, benefiting both their families and the nation.
