ABSTRACT
India accounts for nearly 17.7% of the world's population. It also has one of the lowest incarceration rates (40 per 100,000 population). This can be attributed to various factors, such as the nature of crimes committed and how the criminal justice and correctional/prison systems operate in India. Despite the low incarceration rate, overcrowding, understaffing, a lack of resources, and attitudinal barriers among prison staff are challenges for care and rehabilitation in prison settings. Specific strategies for offender rehabilitation in India have been sporadic. They include the development of a model prison manual, capacity building of prison staff, and involvement of non-governmental organisations. In addition, there is a need to focus on the specific rehabilitative needs of women, children, persons with substance use disorders, and people identifying as transgender. This chapter discusses the rehabilitative measures available to offenders in India. It compares the Indian approach with Western models and discusses the implementation, cultural adaptation, and overall impact of these models.
