Prison Overcrowding and Psychological Trauma among Undertrial Prisoners: A Socio-Legal Study

Abstract

The crowdedness in prisons has emerged as a serious legal, human rights and social problem for undertrials in various prisons. Any postponement in cases, lack of legal aid and poor conditions inside correctional facilities are significant factors that cause the inmates to be psychologically traumatized, emotionally unstable and socially isolated. This is an investigation into the imbalances encountered by the undertrial prisoners as a result of the problem of overcrowding in prisons from a socio-legal lens. The research examines how dignifying prisoners and promoting their wellbeing can be achieved through constitutional protection, judicial intervention and international standards of human rights, and through the effectiveness of prison management. The excess of undertrial detainees and restriction of access to justice are also stressed as a result of socioeconomic marginalisation. It ends on a note of warning for prison reforms, need for implementation of speedy trial system, needy enhancement in the mental health care services and need for adoption of corrective and rehabilitative policies for implementing “Humane Custodial Justice”.