Question

Identify the advantages of open prisons in India:
A. They help in reducing over crowding in jails.
B. They facilitate the notorious inmates to elope and reduce stress of supervision and control.
C. They offer opportunities for self-improvement and resocialization to the inmates.
D. They help under trials to stay away from convicts and make work of prison administration hassle free.
E. The operational cost of open prisons is far less than the enclosed prisons.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A, B & C Only
• B. A, C & E Only
• C. B, C & D Only
• D. B, D & E Only

Hint:

Open Prisons = Trust-based reform. They save money and help good prisoners become citizens again. They are not for high-risk criminals or under-trials.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Open prisons are a form of correctional institution that operates on the principles of trust and self-discipline rather than physical bars and armed guards. They are intended for well-behaved, low-risk prisoners who have already served a portion of their sentence.

Step 1: Analyzing Rehabilitative and Operational Benefits.
Open prisons reduce overcrowding (A) in traditional maximum-security jails by shifting eligible inmates to open settings. They are highly effective for resocialization (C), as inmates often live with families and work, easing their transition back into society. Operationally, they are cheaper (E) because they require significantly fewer security staff and less infrastructure maintenance.

Step 2: Identifying Incorrect Statements.
Statement B is false; open prisons are not meant for notorious inmates, and their goal is not to facilitate "eloping" (escaping), but to foster responsibility. Statement D is incorrect because open prisons are typically for convicts who have shown good behavior, not for under-trials (those whose cases are still pending).