Corrective Services in Central Prisons of Punjab and KhyberPakhtunkhwa- A Comparative Study

Abstract

vocational training and health are present in the Central Jails of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as per the claims that have been made by the respective prison authorities. It is based upon the hypothesis that the corrective services impact rehabilitation, reintegration and recidivism in prison inmates. It is based upon analysing the following objectives: (1) To examine the management of corrective programs in the prisons; (2) To determine the extent to which claims made by the prison administration about existence of corrective services are accurate; (3) To determine whether the corrective services provided cater sufficiently to the rehabilitative needs of the inmates; (4) To determine whether these corrective services are a contributing factor in reducing recidivism in inmates; (5) To determine whether these corrective services are a contributing factor in reducing promoting reintegration of inmates into society (6) Assess the role of state and non-state actors in promoting the concept of corrective services in prison. Existing literature points mostly towards prison conditions and treatment of prisoners- the impact of corrective services has seldom been analysed. The most essential contribution of this research is that we have employed an extensive comparative research design that involves observing the corrective facilities in Central Prisons of KPK and Punjab, interviewing the concerned administrative staff in the prisons as well as surveying inmates to determine whether they received the corrective services in prisons and if so, how it impacted them. A total of 16 interviews and 140 inmate surveys were conducted across four Central Prisons- two from each province. Interview respondents also included subject matter experts. Comparisons are drawn between both provinces to determine which province offers better corrective facilities and in which prisons the corrective facilities have an impact on rehabilitation, reintegration and recidivism in inmates. Lastly, this study delineates recommendations on how the corrective services can be improved to better cater to the rehabilitative needs of inmates as well as to promote their reintegration back into society and reducing chance of recidivism. Recommendations have been adopted from good practices observed in prisons of Punjab and KPK as well as best practices that are being followed around the globe. Practical measures on how these recommendations can beimplemented in Pakistan are also outlined.