Daily News Online
 

Thursday, 27 August 2009

News Bar »

News: Police to hunt errant officers ...        Political: UPFA presents nominations today ...       Business: Chambers hail Sri Lanka’s stable rating ...        Sports: Mahela, Thilan continue to trouble Kiwi bowlers ...

Home

 | SHARE MARKET  | EXCHANGE RATE  | TRADING  | SUPPLEMENTS  | PICTURE GALLERY  | ARCHIVES | 

dailynews
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

Prison reforms

Scanners are to be installed in our prisons to prevent the smuggling of unauthorized items and articles into their precincts to reach prisoners. The experiment will commence from Welikada and then tried in other prisons in the country depending on the availability of funds according to our front page report yesterday. The move is an appropriate one considering the many stories emanating from behind the walls of our prisons. But will scanners alone stop the rot?

It is no secret that today, our prisons are a veritable home away from home to many inmates, particularly the wealthy and influential. The media frequently highlights the shenanigans that go on behind the four walls of our prisons. It is not only drugs and booze and mobile phones that are smuggled into our prisons. All creature comforts of influential prisoners are catered to today giving expression to the famous rhyme "Stone walls do not a prison make nor iron bars a cell".

It is also well-known that underworld figures continue with their rackets long distance while behind bars and there was the famous instance of a notorious drug lord being shipped out of prison and back to attend to urgent business. There are also tales of conclaves of criminal groups inside prisons planning and plotting escapades outside the prison walls. According to a recent news report, it had transpired that orders were issued from prison by a leader of a gang to bump off a rival.

Therefore, it is clear that installing scanners to check incoming contraband is not a mirale for the canker afflicting our prisons which is much more varied, complex and widespread. If at all it would only be a temporary deterrent. It will be business as usual before long. Therefore, what is required is a complete overhaul of our prisons going into the very bowels of its subterranean life. A determined effort has to be made to reform the entire prison system. Piecemeal solutions would not suffice as has been proved.

Our prisons today stand out as the epitome of corruption and sleaze despite the many attempts made to reform the system. It is no exaggeration to say where the potential for corruption is concerned the prisons rank high among the State institutions. For, those at the helm are the law enforcement officers over whom there is little or no supervision leaving them to their own devices. Therefore, whatever device installed to prevent unauthorized items entering prisons will be of little use in the absence of a proper supervision authority.

Our prisons are so beyond the pale today that even outside agencies entrusted with the task is bound to be sucked into the underbelly of prison life.

It is also necessary to separate known criminals from first-comers, especially youth who find themselves locked up for petty offences on suspicion. Needed also are more rehabilitation programs to wean them away from the path of criminal activity.

The Government should also take measures to overhaul our prisons and make them more habitable and congenial to its inmates. It should also find a quick solution to overcrowding in prisons. Prisoner rehabilitation should also meet with the modern demands enabling those offenders to rehabilitate themselves quickly and enter society as worthy citizens.

Certain prison houses in the outstations are centuries old and need modifying. Sri Lanka too should try to emulate countries which are now gradually shifting away from the concept of prisoner confinement and making prisoners undergo a semblance of a community life in the open. This, while taking care of overcrowding would also help prisoner adjust to society. Like everything else our much maligned prisons too should be subjected to change in keeping with the times.

IMF impact on Sri Lanka:

Dynamics of global economic changes

What is Sri Lanka’s track record with regard to the IMF loans? Let us not go as far back as 1953 when the people revolted against the then UNP Government condemning the IMF and the World Bank prescriptions or conditions. In all, there had been 23 occasions on which Sri Lanka sought assistance from the IMF.

Full Story

Country needs strong government for development:

Do not abolish Executive Presidency

JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe has sought the abolition of the Executive Presidency. The net result of such an abolition would be to enable small parties to dictate to the Government elected by the majority.

Full Story

Selective morality in fighting terrorism

Sri Lankans should pay attention to some of the political and national security related issues that are in play in the USA at present. They should specially pay attention when self-appointed western morality Viceroys who are just government servants whose salaries are paid by tax- paying Americans of all ethnicities pontificate,

Full Story

 

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

www.lanka.info
www.defence.lk
Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
www.peaceinsrilanka.org
www.army.lk
www.news.lk

| News | Editorial | Business | Features | Political | Security | Sport | World | Letters | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2009 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor