Himachal prisons crowded majority inmates under trial but liveable 

State of Himachal Pradesh known for low crime graph currently dealing with the overcrowded persions as majority of under trial are occupying its 14 priosions in the state. State Department of Prisons & Correctional Services, accepted the fact before going to launch several welfare programmes for prison inmates and staff on December 1, 2022 at Model Central Jail, Kanda (Shimla). Spokesman of DP&CS stated in a press statement issued here today that State has 14 prisons in which 2909 inmates are lodged against the capacity of 2437 inmates as state registered undertrial and conviction rate is 68 per cent and 32 per cent respectively. There is total 1187 inmates of NDPS which is 40.8 p c  of total occupancy. Similarly, total 22.89 pc inmates have committed crime against women.

The Department of Prisons & Correctional Services,  Himachal Pradesh runs several reformative & rehabilitation  activities for welfare of prison inmates. The efforts of the department have been appreciated globally and various awards  awarded by various organizations which includes Tinka-Tinka 

Award for best Prison Management, Dr. Kalam Innovation in  Governance Award (KIGA), Himachal Pradesh, State Innovation Award, SKOCH Order of Merit Award, SKOCH Gold Award-2019,  Himachal Pradesh Prerna Srot Award-2019 and eNGO Challenge Award-2019.The prisoners or inmates are confined within the limits of the Prisons for long duration. There are several other restrictions on their free movement within and outside the prison. In addition, the load of remorse or the realization of gravity of the offence/crime committed and the subsequent consequences to the lives of the inmate and their families generates inhumane pressure and stress for them. To relieve the stress thus generated and to make their life a little easier, several meditation programme are regularly, organized within the different prisons. However, to upscale the facility/services it has been decided that in house capacity of trainers be created so that the programmes of meditation are institutionalized. An effort in this direction culminated in collaboration with Transcendental Meditation services which has kindly agreed to run a training of trainers programme in different jails or prisons of the state. State have launched Telemedicine Services to inmate  benefit the department by reducing the possibilities of escape and will also ease out the burden on the exchequer. There are around 1400 prisoners requiring hospital visits every month. Introduction of telemedicine facilities, is expected to bring down the number drastically.This puts a drag on the manpower and financial resources of the Department. Moreover, this creates opportunities of escapes for the prison inmates. At times due to pressures of other duties the police escort is not available leading to delay in the treatment of inmates. The physical health and well being of the inmates is another priority of the Department of Prisons & Correctional Services. In this direction, several facilities or services are already in place for the inmates within the jail campus. There are in house doctors posted  on secondment in the prisions.  The Doctors are assisted by the pharmacist and medical dispensers (warders specially trained for the job). There are testing labs for routine medical tests in all the prisons of the State. The Prisons have the capacity to treat routine medical conditions, but for more serious ailments and medical conditions the inmates are referred to the hospitals outside the prisons. Financial Literacy Programme. Online School Coaching:-The Audio Books,  Prisoner’s Poetry Book- Waste Management are among various initiatives being taken as correction activities to inmates.However, there are many inmates who may not be able to access them due to low literacy rate and lack of time and interest. For them and for augmenting the library resources the Department joined hands with the ‘Hindustan Prachar Sabha’ to create a new Audio Library which will be aired over Kaara Junction, the prison’s radio channel.