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Shri Sampurnanand Khula Bandi Shivir: India’s Largest Open Jail
- It is situated in Sanganer, near Jaipur, Rajasthan. It is part of Rajasthan’s unique open prison system, which allows inmates more freedom and the opportunity to live with their families while serving their sentences.
- It was set up in 1963, it is the longest-functioning and largest open-air jail in India.
- The Supreme Court is currently hearing a petition challenging the Jaipur Development Authority’s (JDA) order allocating two plots of jail land for constructing a satellite hospital.
Features of the Open-Air Prison
- It looks like a regular government colony with no high-security walls, cells or jail uniforms.
- Inmates are allotted two-room-kitchen sets or single rooms.
- Families can live with inmates, and inmates can renovate their homes at their own expense.
Open Prison Concept
- Inmates are not confined to cells but are allowed to live in self-arranged accommodations within a designated area.
- They can work outside the prison, engage in businesses, or take up jobs to support themselves and their families.
- Families are allowed to stay with inmates, promoting a supportive environment for rehabilitation.
Significance
- Rajasthan is a pioneer in the open prison system in India, with over 30 open prisons in the state.
- Sanganer Open Jail is a successful example of how such systems can promote humane treatment of inmates while ensuring public safety and reducing recidivism.