The Authors of this Article are Adv. Sreelakshmi S and Sivarenjini.G.B, Conveners of Centre For Probation Reforms.
INTRODUCTION
Probation is a privilege granted by the court to a person convicted of a criminal offense to remain in the community instead of actually going to prison. Being an accepted form of reformative and restorative justice, probation is an alternative to imprisonment as a form of punishment. Probation is the suspension of sentence of an offender by the court and releasing him/her on certain conditions to live in the community with or without the supervision of a probation officer. The practice of probation law averts the stigma of jail life and reduces the ostracism faced by the convict and their family in the society. It is also a solution for the overcrowding in the jail which leads to dehumanizing conditions. Probation ensures that the offender is reformed and reintegrated into the society. This in turn would protect the society from further criminal acts from the offender.
In this direction, the Probation of Offenders Act was passed by the Parliament in 1958 to provide for the release of offenders on probation or after due admonition. As described by the legend Dr. V R Krishna Iyer as a ‘legislative innovation’, the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 succeeded in instilling an enlightened interest on the Bar and Bench Community towards these humane programmes and sentencing practices.
ROLE OF KERALA GOVERNMENT IN PROBATION POLICIES
The Kerala Probation of Offenders Rules, 1960 was made by the Government of Kerala under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 17 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958. Now, the Social Justice Department of the State of Kerala works high spiritedly to advance innovations in the arena of Probation Policies. As part of strengthening the victim support services in the State of Kerala, the Department of Social Justice has started a novel initiative called ‘Jeevanam’ which provides financial aid to the dependents as well as victims of crime. Such programs would greatly help the victims and their family. Besides, it would cultivate a sense of justice in the society while reforming the offender simultaneously.
LAW AND JUSTICE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
The Law and Justice Research Foundation (LJRF) is a society registered under the Travancore- Cochin Literary Scientific & Charitable Societies Registration Act and also an entity registered under NITI Aayog, Government of India. The organization provides a common platform for Right- Based Justice Administration and fair and reasonable implementation of the schemes of criminal justice administration through awareness programs. It has associations with Government Law Colleges, Law Institutes, Judicial & Quasi- Judicial Authorities, Social Work Colleges, and Police Department & Social Justice Department etc. The major projects include strengthening the capacity of Probation Services Support Team and research.
LJRF has conducted various programs in association with the Department of Social Justice during Probation Fortnight Celebrations and Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer Memorial Lecture on Probation Day in 2020 and 2021. We were also a part of the Pan India Awareness and Outreach Programme from 2nd October 2021 to 14th November 2021 in association with ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and Legal Services Week under the aegis of NALSA District Legal Services Authority Thiruvananthapuram, District Probation Office Thiruvananthapuram.
LJRF Centre for Probation Reforms is an initiative from the LJRF Kerala State Chapter aimed at providing capacity development for probation support teams consisting of Police Officers, Legal Councilors, Law students, MSW students, Social workers under District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Pathanamthitta initiated for the first time on 15th November, 2020. The Probation Reforms Committee has successfully executed Probation Fortnight Programme, Nervazhi and Jeevanam after their establishments which are the flagship programmes of Probation Department, Government of Kerala. Recently on May, 2022 the Centre successfully provided a One week Internship Programme on Probation Law Reforms in association with District Probation Office, Kozhikode and Government Law College, Kozhikode. The objective of the Centre is to create awareness among law and social work students about the Criminal Justice System, the importance of the Probation of Offenders Act and the benefits of Probation. It is aimed at formation of a community support group to help offenders for a better reintegration process. LJRF Centre for Probation Reforms works in association with District Probation Offices Law colleges and Social Work Colleges with the support of the Social Justice Department, Govt. of Kerala.
ARTICLES ON PROBATION PUBLISHED IN LJRF VOICE
LJRF Voice is a prestigious project of the Law and Justice Research Foundation. The web portal creates a digital platform that curates and publishes original academic works. Articles on myriad areas related to probation authored by probation support team members, interns at Centre for Probation Reforms and law students have been published in LJRF Voice. Some of them are provided below.
https://ljrfvoice.com/2021/07/24/indian-constitution-and-human-rights-in-connection-with-probation-of-offenders/
https://ljrfvoice.com/2021/09/13/reintegration-of-offenders-the-role-of-social-work-in-probation/
https://ljrfvoice.com/2021/05/09/justice-v-r-krishna-iyer-on-probation-of-offenders/
https://ljrfvoice.com/2021/03/18/supreme-court-on-probation-from-1980-2000/
https://ljrfvoice.com/2021/12/12/roles-and-responsibilities-of-probation-support-team-members/
These Articles proved to be an effective way to make the general public especially the academicians aware of the policies of probation. Thus, LJRF Voice continues to perform a vital role in making the probation concepts reachable to the doorsteps of laymen.
LJRF YOUTUBE CHANNEL
LJRF YouTube Channel is the official YouTube Channel of Law and Justice Research Foundation. Recorded versions of the webinars and sessions on probation policy as well as Probation of Offenders Act are uploaded in our YouTube Channel.
You may watch. A few of them are given below.
An event named ‘PROBATION SERVICE SUPPORT TEAM: CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME’ was organized by LJRF in association with District Legal Service Authority, Pathanamthitta and District Probation Office, Pathanamthitta. Some of the recorded videos of those sessions are provided here;
https://youtu.be/E8ZtkAp73pI
https://youtu.be/qxVGaHXTWKY
https://youtu.be/22gNrKItpks
KERALA STATE PROBATION LITERACY MISSION : A PATH CHANGER
The LJRF Centre for Probation Reforms in association with various NGOs operating in the sphere of probation, proposes to flag a new mission named “Kerala State Probation Literacy Mission” to raise awareness mainly among the under trial prisoners, social workers and legal fraternity about the core concepts of probation, various provisions of Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 and the inter-relation between probation and criminal justice system. As an organization, which has been playing an active role in this regard, by conducting awareness class for under trial prisoners at a number of prisons, throughout the state, LJRF Centre for Probation Reforms has a glorious legacy of spreading probation literacy and awareness in the society.
The Centre for Probation Reforms is now set to upload content videos related to the fundamental ideas of probation in the Law and Justice Research Foundation YouTube Channel with the help of Law Students, who joined as new active members in LJRF Probation Service and Support Team. The new members have been provided with various topics that form the root of probation policy. They are told to create a one minute video on their respective topic, focusing on basic ideas, to be uploaded in the channel. Through these initiatives, the Centre dreams to provide pro bono legal services to the larger community outside.
CONVENERS
Adv. Sreelakshmi S 7736388305
Sivarenjini G B 9847029998
