Prison reform begins where apathy ends | IDR

Project Second Chance, led by Mohit Raj and Saanchi Marwaha, advocates for a fundamental shift in India's prison system from punitive confinement to meaningful rehabilitation and reintegration. The current system faces massive overcrowding, with many facilities operating at 400 percent capacity, and a high percentage of inmates are undertrials, many from marginalized Dalit, Muslim, and Adivasi communities. The authors argue that current reform efforts are often piecemeal, short-term, or dependent on individual official discretion, which prevents institutionalized change.

Key challenges identified include the pervasive social stigma attached to incarceration, the difficulty of navigating rigid government bureaucracies, and the tendency of funders to prioritize measurable, narrow metrics over long-term impact. The authors highlight that effective rehabilitation, supported by increased expenditure per inmate, could significantly improve outcomes and even save the state significant costs annually.

To achieve lasting reform, the organization emphasizes three pillars: creating spaces for co-learning between experts and people with lived experience, enabling access to complex institutions, and funding innovative, non-traditional ideas. Ultimately, the authors argue that meaningful reform must move beyond abstraction and place the dignity and lived experiences of incarcerated individuals at the center of public discourse and policy.

(Source：India Development Review)