PRISON AS A WHITE WASHED CEMETERY- STUDY OF SUICIDES TAMILNADU PRISONS

Abstract

Prison Administration is constantly concerned when a prisoner dies by suicide. Most of the time, the prison serves as a whitewashed cemetery, with prisoners committing themselves. According to the Prison Statistics of India-2015 (NCRB), there were 77 suicides in Indian jails, proving that prisons do not serve the purpose of correctional philosophy. This study focuses on Tamil Nadu prisons since the lone suspect in the tragic murder of an Infosys techie in 2016 allegedly committed himself inside the Puzhal central prison by “pulling and biting into live electric wire”—raising concerns about prison safety and security in the state. Despite the fact that Tamil Nadu was the first state to hire psychologists in its jails, suicides remain widespread.The study’s primary purpose is to determine what causes prison suicides and how safe these institutions are for inmates. This study takes a case study approach, and the data will reveal the reasons for suicide, the method of death employed, and how prison officials assess a prisoner’s suicide.