Prison Reforms - UNODC perspective Dr. Jayadev Sarangi, Prison Expert UNODC ROSA APCCA,2008 Langkawi, Malaysia, 24th November 2008

UNODC MENU OF SERVICES: RULE OF LAW JUSTICE United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice Law enforcement effectiveness accountability and oversight Crime prevention Judicial reform Juvenile justice Prison reform Legal aid Alternatives to imprisonment Restorative justice Violence against women Support to victims of crime Vulnerable groups within the criminal justice system Extradition and mutual legal assistance Witness protection

UNODC MENU OF SERVICES: HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT DRUG PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION  Drug abuse prevention  Drug dependence treatment and rehabilitation HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND CARE  HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment amongst injecting drug users  HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment in prisons  HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment among people vulnerable to human trafficking ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT  Alternatives to illicit crop cultivation  Sustainable livelihoods

Realities on the ground 1.Over-crowdingOver-crowding 2.Majority are remand prisonersremand prisoners 3.High prisoner turnover 4.Low civil society participation in prison reforms 5.‘We’ and ‘Them’ Divide 6.Protection mechanisms for the weak and vulnerable inadequate 7.Constraints - human and financial resources 8.Low awareness - drugs and HIV  Denial – “no sex, no drug, no violence”  Sexual risk behaviour – MSM, coercion  Large number of married inmates 9.Post release follow up of prisoners is very negligible

Major Achievements  Rolling out interventions in 27 prison sites (e.g., Bangladesh,Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka)27  A critical mass (418 Master Trainers) of human resources trained (including prison officials, health workers and civil society partners)  Reached out to approx persons in the prison community including prison inmates and field level prison staff in the region

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 Application of Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners- A Human Rights perspective  Capacity of Member States to apply international standards on the professional management/operation of prisons  Advocate for and create awareness to ensure that adjustment of laws and policies should be in conformity with international standards and norms on diversions, restorative justice and non- custodial sanctions  Increased application by Member States of strategies to improve overall healthcare of prisoners including the reduction of the spread of drugs/HIV in Prisons of South Asia  Sensitization and capacity building of law enforcement officials Prison Reforms Initiative – ROSA thrust areas

Prevention of drugs and HIV in prisons of South Asia (Project RAS/H71) Prison Intervention sites CountryNo. of sites Bangladesh Bhutan 2121 India 4 Maldives 1 Nepal 5 Sri Lanka 14 Total 27 Disclaimer: The boundaries do not reflect the official position of UNODC

Source: International Centre for Prison Studies, London, 2008 CountriesRemand prisoners and/or pre-trial detainees as % of all prisoners BhutanNA India65.7 Bangladesh69 Sri Lanka49.4 Nepal51 MaldivesNA

Source: International Centre for Prison Studies, London, 2008 CountriesCapacityActual population Occupanc y level % India263,911373, BhutanNA Banglades h 27,45183, Sri Lanka10,69225, Nepal5,0006, Maldives