The inter-institutional task force for identifying mechanisms for minimising congestion in prisons and other prisons reforms has made the following recommendations in its first report:
- to use community based corrections productively instead of imposing imprisonment
- to fully implement the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act No 4 of 1995 enabling the payment of fines in installments instead of imposing imprisonment on those who fail to pay fines.
- to continue cases in which the Magistrate's Court has no jurisdiction in Magistrate's Courts until prosecutions are made in High Courts and to implement a Management Information System for preventing the misplacement of files
- release persons retained without prosecution on a bond and magistrates visit to prisons once a month according to provisions of the act
- utilising Police Bailing method according to provisions in Bail Act No. 30 of 1997.
- considering the option of reducing the death penalty to life imprisonment
- the construction and relocation of prisons
- creating a suitable and secured environment for detainees and staff of prison
A joint proposal was made by Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapakshe and Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D.M. Swaminathan to present the report to Parliament was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers this week.
The Task Force comprises representatives from the Judicial Service Commission, the Attorney General’s Department, the Department of Government Analyst, the Department of Community Based Correction , the Department of Legal Draftsmen, the Department of Police, the Department of Prisons, the Legal Aid Commission, representatives of Judges Training Institute and Ministry of Law and Order.
