Overcrowded prisons

Punjab's prisons are bursting at the seams, and the consequences are no longer confined to administrative discomfort. With jail occupancy standing 81% above capacity, overcrowding has become a serious public health risk and a stark indictment of the province's criminal justice system.

More than 71,000 prisoners and under-trial inmates are packed into 45 jails designed for fewer than 39,000. In several facilities, inmates are housed at three times their intended capacity, with barracks so congested that ventilation and personal space are virtually nonexistent. This is tantamount to containment under conditions that actively undermine health and human dignity. The roots of the crisis lie in excessive reliance on imprisonment, particularly of under-trial prisoners, who make up the majority of the jail population.

Prolonged delays in investigation and limited use of bail have created a culture of taking a punitive approach to minor offences. The health fallout is predictable. Overcrowded living conditions lower immunity and accelerate the spread of diseases. With only 110 doctors serving over 70,000 inmates, prison healthcare is stretched beyond viability. Makeshift medical camps and limited access to treatment cannot substitute for a functioning health system.

While the government has announced new jails and expanded barracks, infrastructure alone will not resolve the crisis. New facilities will quickly fill unless intake is reduced. The focus must shift from expansion to reform. First, under-trial detention must be urgently reduced through faster case disposal and strict enforcement of statutory limits on detention. Second, non-custodial sentences should become the norm for minor and non-violent offences. Third, prison healthcare must be overhauled, with regular independent medical screenings and transparent access to treatment. Finally, judicial oversight of prison conditions should be strengthened to ensure accountability. Prisons are meant to deprive individuals of liberty, not expose them to disease and neglect.