Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Reformation is the key to eliminate crime

Punishment is passé; reformation is the key to eliminate crime… So believes Norway, and is trying to prove this philosophy by creating a people-friendly prison.

A country that registers low criminal activities, Norwegian authorities believe that repressive penitentiaries are no good in eliminating crime. Instead, transforming the lives of inmates, that is, making them better people is the way to make a better world. And indeed, statistics prove this philosophy. In Norway, 20% of criminals find their way back into prison within two years of their release, the figure is staggeringly low than the US and UK, where about 50-60% end return to jail (Source: Time Magazine). Crime being one of the most pressing issues in our country, India too seems to be catching up with this model that has seen some success. In support of this approach, Kiran Bedi mentioned, “A reform can be brought about by using treatment as the key rather than punishment. We used this tool with the prisoners of Tihar Jail, and reform was evident.”

While all seems well about this model in theory, in our country, wouldn’t such opulence fail to create that fear of punishment in people and would it not encourage the homeless poor to take to crime? Swami Vishalananda feels that “cleansing people of corrupt ideologies is more important than any punishment. Only then we would have a changed society and only then can we dream of a day when we’d not need any laws of crime.” While Norway basks in the glory of this new paradigm, can India afford to do it, both morally and economically, is the question that needs to be answered.


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