MICHEL FOCAULT SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Michel Foucault excellently demonstrated the structure of criticism of the modern correctional
institution. It is composed of six observations which, taken together, unremittingly denounce “the
failure” of prison to perform the functions officially assigned to it at different periods. This criticism may
be formulated as follows: “prisons do not bring down the rate of crime”, “confinement causes
Criticisms recidivism”, “prison necessarily produces offenders”, “prison encourages the structuring of a criminal
by milieu”, “the situation open to prison-leavers is conducive to recidivism”, “prison produces offenders
Michel indirectly by impoverishing the prisoner’s family”.4 These critiques are still quite consonant with
Foucault concrete, qualitative findings as to the present-day correctional scene, with its stigma, uncertainty,
powerlessness, broken families, corporal punishment, disaffiliation, unequal prison conditions, physical
and symbolic violence, etc.

Discipline and Punish is not a book on prisons as much as on discipline, power relations33 and social
engineering set up to produce mentally sovereign, normatively self-disciplined subjects. This approach
may be complementary with “classical” sociology of prisons, but it also confronts some of its postulates.
It is heuristic mainly in that it sets aside the founding illusion of a “norm-free” institution (or one with
norms of its own), to consider the social relations developed in prison as comparable in nature to those
developed outside, but considerably amplified.35 The perspective proposed is located outside the
corrections-centered fly bottle and does not suggest any program for improving prison governance. To
the contrary, it tries to “destabilize the present”, to objectify and deconstruct the apparatus underlying a
specific type of governance.

According to Section 3 of the Prisons Act of 1894, “a prison is an institution where a person who has
been convicted of a crime and sentenced to a period of imprisonment is imprisonment.” A survey done
in 58 prisons in Bihar reveals a deplorable representation of prison environments. Congestion,
inadequate training, prison violence, inadequate health and other amenities, long-term detainment of
SURVEY
undertrials, forced work on inmates, manipulation of optional forces by prison officials, limited contact
to lawful counsel, and widespread erotic assault of detainees are only a couple of the significant issues
brought up in the survey.[1]

SIGNIFICANCE OF OPEN PRISONS

open prisons are the one which plays a very significant role in upholding the theory of reformation of the
inmates which shall be on of the goal of the prison system. This gives a true picture of the idea of
individualism of penalties where the inmates can be back to their normal life after paying their dues in
the prison. The notion is initiated on willpower and the principle of “trust begets trust,” which, when
appropriately accomplished, may transform human resources.[2] The value of ideas for prisoner reform
and rehabilitation cannot be overstated. Positive consequences include convicts’ feelings of self-worth,
dignity, and willingness to better themselves.
Criticism Of Open Prison System in India:

Though open prisons have significance in India but because of some lacunae in the implementation of
reforms in prison system it faces certain criticism.

The Open Prisons are underutilized. These penitentiaries have a limit of 25776 detainees, anyway just
3786 are right now housed there (starting at 2015). This exhibits that, in spite of the way that shut
correctional facilities are stuffed, open penitentiaries are vacant.

In most states, prisoners are picked by an advisory group that has no responsibility since they are not
needed to offer explanations behind their choices. This prompts debasement and partiality.

There are no protections set up for the people who are going to start their sentence. At any rate, semi-
open prisons ought to be made accessible to new guilty parties. There is no arrangement for under-
preliminary prisoners to be housed in open detainment facilities.

Every state has deficient open detainment facilities. Open Prisons are various in certain states, while
others have just one, and no Union Territory in India has one. This uniqueness exists among states
because of the state list subject.

SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION

Despite significant problems in the way open prisons operate, they must be regarded as an important
part of the modern jail system. They’ve made significant contributions to humanity in overall and the
prison community in precise. The functioning of open jails has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a
doubt that the driving concept of modern jail administration should be help, not hate, over the years.
The concept of open and semi-open detention facilities allows offenders to work outside of prison and
start a business before returning to prison in the evening. This concept should be embraced by prison
administrators across the country.

Open prisons are a great notion that, if properly implemented, might alter the prison system. However,
there are so few open prisons, and those that do exist lack basic infrastructure, necessitating significant
improvements in order to make a significant impact on the system.