A few years ago, authorities in the Indian state of Rajasthan faced a unique problem: inmates who had served their sentences did not want to leave prison. They had done time in open prisons without wardens or guards, but with their familes instead. Since that moment, researcher and activist Smita Chakraburtty has studied Rajasthan’s open prisons and contributed to their spreading in India. In our new episode, Smita explains to us how the systems works, what benefits it has and how she effects reforms in an industry dominated by men.

Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf.

Links

India’s ‘Open Prisons’ Are a Marvel of Trust-Based Incarceration, Reasons to be Cheerful

Prison Aid and Action Research (PAAR) website

Squirrel News

Squirrel News is a free, curated news service.

Find our more about Squirrel News on our website or read our latest news.

Download our app or subscribe to our newsletter.

Please donate now to help us continue our work.