A Study on Prison Reform to Identify an Alternative Reformatory Policy in Nepal
Author: Hindu Sanskriti Karki Publication Type: Policy Discussion Paper 

The paper examines the existing prison policy of Nepal to diagnose critical problems emerging by neglecting the need of prison reform, despite several attempts and efforts. The punitive prison policy implemented back in 1963 has dilapidated triggering some of the most unanticipated problems possessing threat to an individual, community and country as a whole. The study focuses on the current situation of the prisons in Nepal and the problem associated with it, identifies the alternatives that can be implemented to mitigate the problems and recommends the most suitable alternative that would help to alleviate those problems. The study highlights overcrowding, accommodation, education, health, employment and discrimination as the critical problems. Subsequently, it scrutinizes these problems from sociological, economical and human rights perspective. Based on these arguments, the study emphasizes on either reforming the existing prison policy, implementing open prison policy or public private partnership policy. Case studies of prison policies practiced in different countries are taken in account to support the argument. In summation, the research takes into account the policy problem associated with the prison reform and makes a recommendation to fulfill the policy gap for reforming the prison sector of Nepal.