Beyond Punishment: Reimagining Mental Healthcare In India’s Prisons
- IJLLR Journal
- Aug 5
- 1 min read
Sachi Dhairyashil Kale, BA LLB, SVKM's Pravin Gandhi College of Law
ABSTRACT
India's prison system places minimal focus on rehabilitation, especially with regard to mental health, and is largely intended for punishment and containment. Many prisoners have untreated mental health issues that are exacerbated by systemic neglect, overcrowding, isolation, and a lack of medical attention. The present condition of mental healthcare in Indian prisons is examined in this study, along with its institutional and legal flaws and the detrimental effects it has on both prisoners and the larger criminal justice system. Based on government reports, case law, and international norms, the analysis emphasises how important reform is. It also promotes a change in viewpoint, moving away from punitive incarceration and towards a rights-based, rehabilitative model that puts mental health first, using descriptive and analytical techniques.
This paper aims to conduct an in-depth examination of the current state of mental healthcare in Indian prisons by analysing the systemic, legal, and institutional shortcomings that contribute to the neglect of prisoners’ psychological well-being. It seeks to explore how the existing punitive and containment-focused prison model adversely affects individuals with mental health issues, and to evaluate the extent to which national policies, judicial precedents, and international human rights standards are being upheld. Through a combination of descriptive and analytical methods, the study further aims to advocate for the adoption of a rights-based, rehabilitative framework within the Indian correctional system—one that prioritises mental health as a critical component of criminal justice reform and promotes humane, dignified, and effective incarceration practices.
Keywords: Punitive incarceration, Mental health neglect, Systemic reform, Rights-based rehabilitation, Institutional flaws
