Wary of suicides, jail dept team to profile inmates, identify probables

In 2014, two cases of suicide were reported from Lucknow jail while one each from 15 different jails.

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Taking note of the increase in cases of suicide in jails, Uttar Pradesh Jail Administration and Reform Services has formed a team that will profile the prisoners who committed the act and then study the results to identify those who may have a suicidal tendency.

A total of 17 inmates reportedly committed suicide in various UP jails in 2014, an increase from 14 and 10 such cases reported in 2013 and 2012, respectively. In nearly all the instances, the deaths were caused by hanging.

While profiling the inmates, the team, comprising jail officials, will study the prisoner’s family background, the case status and the nature of crime he was booked for. The details would also include the number of times the family visited the prisoner and the financial condition at home.

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IG (Prisons) R R Bhatnagar said the idea is to identify and treat those inmates who may be at high risk of committing suicide. These inmates would be kept under observation and provided treatment as per their need, he added. “At present, we have no medium to identify such inmates.”

The jail department is also planning to verify claims made by some inmates who allege that they have been falsely booked.

“If a prisoner is suffering from depression, a support group of members from among the inmates would be formed. The group members will stay with the inmates and help them tackle their tendency. We would also provide the inmates with reading materials if they show interest,” an official said.

A proposal to set up public telephone booth in every jail has also been sent to the state government. Prison department has also planned to provide all food items at reasonable rates at the jail canteens.

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The state has five central jails, 56 district jails and one Model Jail, housing a total of 90,500 prisoners, of whom 64,600 are undertrials and 25,800 convicts. Undertrials staying in a jail for over a year are numbered at 11,137 while those for more than two years are 5,950.

In 2014, two cases of suicide were reported from Lucknow jail while one each from 15 different jails.

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Uttar Pradesh