Our analysis of data from the last 25 years, presented in PrisonWatch, a new comprehensive data portal, reveal patterns on prisoner demographics, duration of confinement and nature of crime involved
The government also revealed that there is significant overcrowding in jails across the country. According to 2021 data, there were 5,54,034 inmates against the sanctioned capacity of 4,25,609 inmates.
The directions were released after the National Legal Services Authority said that by the end of last year, 5,029 undertrials were in jail after getting bail.
In Indian prisons, undertrials constitute 77.1% of the total prison population and the majority belong to SC, ST and OBC communities. The onus for the sad state of affairs is scattered across the entire system.