From that tender age when memories first begin to take shape, Jiji Mary, 35, had a deep connection with the story of Veronica, the woman who, moved by seeing Jesus carrying the cross, gave him her veil to wipe his forehead. Little did Jiji know that, when she grew up, she would become a Veronica-like figure, empathetically listening to and changing the perspectives of many convicted humans.
Rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society are crucial but often overlooked aspects of the Indian criminal justice system. On September 15, 2017, the Supreme Court directed all state governments to appoint counsellors to assist prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. A major reason for the order was the increasing number of unnatural deaths and suicides in jails. However, according to prison statistics in 2021, twelve states/Union territories had no sanctioned posts for correctional officers. The ones that did were not much better off. The Kerala government, for instance, employs a few social workers, such as Jiji, on low-paying contracts to provide counselling and even perform primary psychiatric evaluations in prisons.
Denne historien er fra December 31, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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Denne historien er fra December 31, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
