A STUDY ON THE REDEMPTION OF FEMALE EX-CONVICTS IN TRIVANDRUM.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Submitted to Mrs. Sini V Pillai Assistant Professor Department of Business Administration College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram

Date of Submission: 19.10.2012 Group Number: 1 Group Members:

1. Aarya Raj 2. Abdul Kader K M 3. Ajinu B 4. Alrijun Velissery T 5. Anju Aruja 6. Anju V 7. Arun Mohan 8. Athira Anand 9. Athul B 10. Belli P K

Title of the Proposed Research Study: A study on the redemption of exconvicts in Trivandrum.

Introduction for the Proposed Study: Incarcerated women all over the world are our forgotten sisters, mothers and daughters. Isolated and alone, incarcerated women have little contact from friends, family and lack community support. Our sisters struggle to survive at a time of dwindling resources for rehabilitation. Sexual abuse, loneliness, depression, inadequate or nonexistent medical care and separation from children are a few of the many problems faced by women in prison and those who come out of prison. With 75% of them serving time for petty drug possession offenses or other nonviolent crimes, they need our attention and support. 1. Statement of the Problem: Around 2,515 women were undergoing sentences for life imprisonment at various prisons in the country at the end of 2010, according to National Crime Records Bureau. This is a sizeable number of women who are wasting away their lives behind bars and need to be attended to. A total of 1,436 deaths were reported (1344 natural and 92 un-natural) during 2010 alone. Of these, 34 deaths were those of female inmates, of which 5 deaths were suicidal in nature. Moreover, jails exclusively for women prisoners exist only in 12 States and union territories such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan and West Bengal (two each), Bihar, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi (one each). The overcrowding and unhealthy prison conditions may also take a toll on the physical and mental well being of a woman in custody. There is a need to provide dignity and hygiene to women who serve long sentences inside as well

as under trials. The total capacity of women inmates was highest in Tamil Nadu (1,070) followed by Uttar Pradesh (420), West Bengal & Delhi (400 each), Rajasthan (350), Andhra Pradesh (308), Maharashtra (262), Punjab (150), Bihar (83), Kerala (72), Odisha (55) and Tripura (30) (Table 2.5), according to NCRB data. In such a scenario, it is important for voluntary organisations and other independent groups to have access to these women for research so that a clearer picture about their condition and needs can be brought to the surface. The primary aim of our research is to understand the relieved women prisoners and welcome back to the society the released prisoners with their pains, agonies of life and the guilt feelings. To provide an environment conducive to these broken lives bringing them hope in their lives and facilitates the holistic development of an individual. Mutual relationship is built up in complete inner freedom, love, trust, respect and acceptance. Objectives:

1) To do an effective study on the problems faced by ex-convicted females and to invite attention of the authorities and general public to the problem. 2) To help these under privileged and cast out girls to accept their life experienced and situation in order to reintegrate themselves into society. 3) To assist them to find a life of their own through marriage and family life. With these objectives we try to care for them with a stress on the following areas of their growth. 4) Spiritual renewal 5) Physical and Psychological treatment 6) Reconciliation with God, Self, Family and Society. 7) Vocational Training

8) Rehabilitation. Methodology:

Population: all relieved women inmates from Trivandrum. Sample Size: since the population is big and tracing the women coming out from prisons is a very tedious task, we decided to collect data from various centres of Jesus fraternity (a catholic organisation who does services for people coming out from jail) in Trivandrum. Confidential, in-depth interviews will be conducted with approximately 40 randomly selected ex-inmates in one female prison. The main research questions are: 1) What are the most important problems experienced by ex-imprisoned women?; 2) Do they deem these problems grievable, and if so, how do they make these determinations? 3) What reasons do women cite for and against using inmate grievance processes to deal with problems outside prison? 4) What characterizes womens perceptions of the justice, procedural, distributive, and retributive, experienced in prison and attained through prison grievance processes? 5) Which conceptions of justice are mobilized by women to manage problems outside prison? The research will also explore policy recommendations regarding inmate grievance procedures in female prisons.

Nature of Data: Primary Data & Secondary Data Target Audience: women relieved from prisons in Trivandrum, Prisons department, government of Kerala, womens commission, Kerala. Sampling Technique: Judgment Sampling Area of Study: Trivandrum Data Collection & Proposed Tools: Structured Questionnaire, interview. Research Design: Descriptive Research

Pilot Study: The initial questionnaire would be given to our sample population. The Technique used would be survey and direct interview of the women who came out of the prisons and rehabilated under Jesus fraternity in Trivandrum. Thus after obtaining an initial insight into the subject, an in-depth study would be conducted through Structured Questionnaire which will provide a much more reliable and accurate findings after the Analysis and Interpretation. Periodic interviews and discussions will be arranged with the target audience.

Limitations of the study:

Tracing out the women went out of the prison after punishment is very difficult or nearer to impossible. Getting sanction from voluntary organisations like Jesus fraternity for data collection from the sample wouldnt be an easy task.

 The relieved women prisoners in two convents of Jesus fraternity are our sample population, these inmates might be reluctant to give out the required information. Inviting public attention to this problem requires assistance of mass media which is difficult. The project requires detailed study hence the time is another constraint.

Significance of the Study: The study focuses its attention on the correction, reformation and rehabilitation of those who come out of prison. The study aims to find solutions for the welfare and integral development of the victims and their families. The study will find ways to prevent the potential criminals and delinquents.

To invite the attention of Government and the Womens commission to the problems of post jail life faced by women. A study on this issue hasnt done by the government of Kerala or the womens commission of Kerala till date. So this project will help to inform the authorities on the problems faced by the women ex-convicts not only in Trivandrum but in Kerala as a whole. This study will be a platform for many to understand how sensitive this issue is and will act as a catalyst to many researches and studies in this area.

Bibliography: Jesus fraternity.org

http://www.sufiwomen.org/projects/prison.html

http://citation.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation