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IN the criminal justice system, police are mandated to prevent, investigate and arrest; prisons are tasked with ensuring safe custody, human rights (HR) and correction. The police-prison link works at three levels. Operationally, there’s daily interaction — junior officers transport the accused from jail to court and secure prisons’ outer perimeter; for coordination, Police Order 2002 lists members of the Criminal Justice Coordination Committee — district judge, SP investigation, jail superintendent, etc. CJCCs must prioritise effective jail functioning. At the policy level, police and prison officers interact in the home department forum.
Sole reliance on numbers and local and special laws contributes to jail overcrowding. In 2024, KP registered 217,024 cases: 22,969 crimes against persons and property; 3,324 traffic violations/ accidents; 37,887 came under other PPC sections. Most — 152,994 — involved L&SLs, overburdening the CJS. Most cases pertained to offences like narcotics, gambling, aerial firing, power theft, etc. Amending laws and introducing fines for non-violent offences can reduce pressure on jails, decrease corruption and HR violations, and generate revenue. Pakistan’s laws are passed in isolation, resulting in a huge compendium of L&SLs. Correcting weak institutional outreach needs public education about laws. Community-based solutions, such as restorative justice programmes can reduce jails’ burden. New districts are often created without factoring in the infrastructural needs of CJS. Securely conveying prisoners between court and jail is time-consuming and strains resources. New Zealand, the UK and US have independent agencies for this. A similar one here will lessen police’s burden.
