Chandigarh : Research report titled “Clipped Wings – Impact of Incarceration on Family Members of Prisoners – An Exploratory Study.” was released by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab and Haryana High Court-cum-Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, UT Chandigarh in the presence of Sh. Mahavir Singh, Member Secretary, SLSA and the Lead Researchers Sh. Amarinder Sharma, Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority and the Co Researcher Sh. Neil Roberts, Project Coordinator, District Legal Services Authority.
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge Punjab and Haryana High Court-cum-Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, UT Chandigarh in his message has stated that “Family members of incarcerated people are often faced with financial, social and emotional costs related to the imprisonment of their loved ones. When people serve time in prison, the family members they leave behind must adjust not only to the physical absence of their loved one, but also to a void in the place of the monetary and practical contributions which that person made to the household and the encumbrance of a set of challenges and costs specifically associated with maintaining a relationship with a prisoner.”
Speaking on the occasion Sh. Mahavir Singh informed that one of the key areas of intervention that is entrusted with the Legal Services Authority, is providing Legal Services to all persons in custody, whether through Legal Aid Cell in the Jail or Legal services in Observation cum special Home. NALSA in October 2018 had launched a campaign with “Prisoners lodged in Jails” to ascertain their requirement for specific interventions, in which a total of 453 prisoners were covered.
Thereafter in May 2019 the campaign to “Ascertain and provide need based intervention to family members of prisoners” was launched under which 478 prisoners were interviewed. The following category of prisoners were covered:
- Convicts having remaining period of imprisonment of 6 months or more
- UTPs having period of detention for continuous one year or more
After the interviews, a total number of 140 families from Chandigarh and 103 families from other states were identified for intervention. A brief of services provided to the family members who were residents of Chandigarh was as follows:
- Widow/Old age pension: 17 cases identified and linked with concerned department
- Financial assistance to families: 10 families identified and information sent to Red Cross Society to initiate action through the office of Worthy Deputy Commissioner.
- Readmission of drop out children in schools: 3 children have been readmitted to school and 1 special child admitted to GRIID.
- Vocational training and employment of spouse: 5 cases identified and referred to Skill training centre for enrollment in vocational program of choice.
- Counselling Services:3 cases identified and referred for counselling services and the information sent to Red Cross Society to assign Counsellor for the said purpose.
- Financial aid for children:33 cases of children requiring sponsorship identified and referred to District Child Protection Unit for Sponsorship under ICPS.
- Health Services: 22 cases of parents, spouses and siblings linked to health services.
ABOUT THE RESEARCH STUDY
Speaking about the research study the Lead Researcher Sh. Amarinder Sharma, CJM cum Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, stated that out of the 140 families who were covered in the campaign, 84 families consented to participate in the program.
Speaking at the occasion Co Researcher Sh. Neil Roberts, Project Coordinator said that the data has been jointly collected by Law internship Students, Para Legal Volunteers and the Panel Lawyers of District Legal Services Authority who assisted in data collection and home visits.
Sh. Amarinder Sharma and Sh. Neil Roberts shared some of the important findings of the research:
CONSOLIDATED FINDING ABOUT IMPACT ON PARENTS
(Total number=84)
Of the total number of 84 respondents 70% stated that they had increased expenditure due to incarcerated ward, 60% reported that they had an increased absenteeism from work, 78% of parents reported that they experience increased levels of stress, 68% reported that they feared for the future of their ward, 56% reported that they feared for family reputation, 39% of parents reported that they experienced increased levels of social isolation and 56% reported that they experienced reduced levels of attention to self.
CONSOLIDATED FINDINGS SHOWING IMPACT ON SPOUSES
(Total number = 44)
Of the total number of 44 respondents 75% stated that they had reduced income, 43% reported that upon incarceration, the spouses were faced to take up employment, 50% of spouses reported that they experience increased levels of social isolation, 40% reported that they faced ridicule from their in-laws, 41% reported that they experienced increased health problems, 25% of spouses reported having had suicidal thoughts, 70% reported that they experienced fear regarding future of their spouse, 70% reported that they experienced fear regarding future of their self, , 70% reported that they experienced fear regarding future of their children, 25% experienced Self Blaming and 48% experienced increased levels of anger.
CONSOLIDATED FINDINGS SHOWING IMPACT ON SIBLINGS
(Total number = 84)
Of the total number of 84 respondents 53% stated that they were forced to spend increased time due to incarcerated sibling, 43% reported that due to sibling incarceration they were forced to be absent from work . education, 46% of siblings experienced increased social ridicule, 55% of siblings reported experiencing fear about the future of their sibling, 56% of siblings reported fear regarding family reputation and 42% reported that they experienced increased social isolation.
CONSOLIDATED FINDINGS SHOWING IMPACT ON CHILDREN
(Total number = 53)
Of the total number of 53 respondents, 25% of children reported that they had experience peer ridicule, 32% of children reported that due to incarceration of their parent they were forced to drop out of school, 23% of children reported that due to incarceration of their parent they were forced to enter into employment, 40% of children feared family reputation, and 36% of children experienced increased social isolation and 11% of children reported having experience suicidal thoughts.