NHRC reccomends mental health screening of prisoners to prevent suicides
NHRC reccomends mental health screening of prisoners to prevent suicides
prativad 
The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) has recommended screening the mental health of inmates before they are sent to prison to avoid cases of suicide.
The human rights body has also suggested the improvement of jail infrastructure and its environment to mitigate suicide attempts by prisoners in judicial custody.
The recommendations came after NHRC noticed a rise in cases of unnatural deaths caused by suicide.
In an advisory issued to states and Union Territories, the NHRC said that places like barracks and toilets must be kept free of objects that can be used to inflict self-harm as they are hotspots for suicides.
It also suggested encouraging visits by family members of the prisoner and or at least phone talk to keep inmates off the edge.
The suggestions were also addressed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Police Research and Development, and all Director General-Prisons.
In all, the central body highlighted 11 points for the agencies to follow, some of which were augmenting prison staff strength, training, screening inmates’ mental health at the admission stage, monitoring at-risk prisoners, and keeping their addiction in check.
NHRC officials also suggested keeping objects like abrasive chemicals used to clean toilets out of prisoners’ reach.
“Mental health screening be included in the initial health screening report of every prisoner. Existing vacancies of prison staff should be filled up particularly those of prison welfare officers, probation officers, psychologists, and medical staff and the strength should be suitably augmented to include mental health professionals,” the advisory said.
It recommended training the jail staff in each barrack in administering CPR and first aid and assigning a prisoner ‘buddy’ for any eventuality.
The letter added, “There should be measures to tackle the issue of addiction among prisoners … undertaken by regular visits of mental health care professionals and de-addiction experts.”
With inputs from PTI
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