BHUBANESWAR: Jail personnel will soon be equipped with body cams to keep a tab on the goings on in the prisons. The Directorate of Prisons and Correctional Services will procure 20 body worn cameras for Special Jail in Jharpada and Circle Jail in Choudwar in the first phase. Any staff including medical, correctional or escorting officials coming in direct contact with inmates will be armed with the body cams within one month.
In a circular, the Directorate of Prisons has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) in this regard which states that the cameras can be used by the staff to record any wrongdoing by inmates in areas not covered by CCTV cameras, any other part of the prison where trouble is anticipated, during searches when inmates return from courts and hospitals, while conducting surprise checks in cells and barracks among others.
This apart, the department has directed the jail officials to use the body worn cameras while shifting high risk criminals to hospitals. “The body worn cameras are being procured and will be utilised on a pilot basis by Jharpada and Choudwar Jail officials. Prisoners calling system will also be installed in these two jails within a month on a pilot basis,” DG Prisons Santosh Kumar Upadhyay told TNIE.
At least four booths will be installed in each jail, one exclusively at the female enclosure, and every inmate will be allowed to speak to only two persons till the period he/she is lodged in the prison. The phone numbers of two persons shared by each inmate will be stored in the calling system and they will be able to make one call everyday by paying `5. The calls will automatically get disconnected after five minutes.
Besides, smart cards will be provided to inmates of Jharpada Jail on a pilot basis through which they can use the calling system and make purchases in the canteen. They can use the smart cards for making payments with the money earned through various works on the jail premises or the amount deposited by family members in their bank accounts.
“In the financial year 2022-23, drones will be procured for sensitive circle and district jails along with installation of video walls consisting of multiple displays to keep a close surveillance on the inmates,” said Upadhyay.