Repeat offenses on the rise

While prisons are generally conceived as institutions for reforming criminals, recent trends show that many ex-inmates are repeatedly engaging in criminal activities. In just one month, about 6-7 people have been re-arrested on charges of committing new crimes. 

According to Advocate Priya Hari Bhandari, Nepal’s prisons are increasingly becoming places where inmates learn new criminal skills and expand their network of criminal associates. With few exceptions, most people who end up in prison have committed some form of crime after their release. When criminal-minded individuals are housed together, it creates an environment conducive to learning more illegal activities and expanding criminal circles. Had prisons been functioning as true rehabilitation centers, we wouldn’t see the same individuals repeatedly ending up behind bars.

Bhandari said that Nepal’s prisons are overcrowded, making it difficult for inmates to access even the basic amenities. Furthermore, individuals involved in various types of crimes are often housed together. This has led to prisons being used as places to learn criminal tactics and strategies. If prisons functioned as true rehabilitation centers, the same individuals wouldn’t repeatedly end up behind bars.

He suggested that inmates should be taught self-sustaining skills. “If they acquire practical job skills while serving a prison term, it would make their reintegration into society easier upon release,” he said. “There is a prevailing attitude that once someone goes to jail, everything is over for them. Their businesses, jobs, friends and relatives often distance themselves. Local governments should take initiatives to create an environment that allows ex-inmates to return to work.”

Nepal Police Spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki attributed repeat offenses to factors such as peer influence, bad company, being too ambitious and the desire to make quick money. “While constant surveillance is maintained on activities within prisons, police cannot interfere with the choice of friends and social circles of an individual,” he said.

Karki, however, argued that attempts have been made to make prisons skill-oriented. He suggested that separating convicted prisoners from those merely accused of crimes could help address this issue to some extent.

“Ex-inmates often face difficulties reintegrating into society immediately after release. The role of families and relatives is crucial in the reform of these individuals,” he added. “It is important to forget past mistakes and support them in leading a normal life going forward.”

Crime rates persist 

According to Dinesh Raj Mainali, the spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, while prisons are conceptualized as rehabilitation centers, in practice, they haven’t been able to fulfill this role. “Prisons face their own set of challenges, including overcrowding, which affects proper management of inmates. The practice of housing all types of prisoners together often leads to individuals who committed minor offenses being influenced by those involved in more serious crimes,” he added. “It is not easy for someone to reintegrate into society after serving a prison sentence. Inmates need proper guidance, moral education, and life skills while in prison. While some efforts have been made in this direction, they haven't been fully implemented.”

One of the reasons why individuals repeatedly make mistakes, get involved in crimes and engage in harmful activities, according to Mainali, is bad company.

Sociologist Professor Mina Upreti said families and society often do not readily accept individuals with criminal records which leads to repeated offenses. “With few exceptions, most crimes occur due to bad influence and temptation. A person in a negative company does not reform quickly. Since various types of criminals, including those who have committed heinous crimes, are housed together in jails, prisons often become training grounds for crime,” she said. “This creates a possibility where someone jailed for a minor offense might commit a more serious crime upon release.”

Although that crime should not be normalized, society needs to stop permanently labeling someone as a criminal for a single offense, she added.

“Upper-class and wealthy individuals often reintegrate easily into society, with their crimes often overlooked, while poor, lower-class, and Dalit community members struggle to be accepted back into society,” Upreti added.

Making prisons skill-oriented

Kamal Prasad Pandey, director and spokesperson for the Prison Management Department, said efforts to transform prisons into rehabilitation centers have not been effective. “The lack of physical infrastructure makes it challenging for us to segregate prisoners based on their offenses. While the country’s prisons have a capacity of only 16,000, they currently house around 30,000 inmates and detainees. This overcrowding creates management challenges,” he added.

According to Pandey, efforts are being made to modernize prisons and make them more technology-friendly. “The government needs to introduce special programs to engage all prisoners in self-sustaining activities,” he added.

Nawaraj Adhikari, the spokesperson for the District Police Range Kathmandu, said those sentenced to less than three years should not be housed with those who have committed heinous crimes. “Detainees should not be kept with convicted prisoners. However, Nepal’s prisons currently lack the facilities for such segregation,” he said. “If prisons can be developed as places to learn life-skills, the tendencies of repeated offense would decrease.”