Prison staff may soon start donning body-worn cameras

These cameras will help in dealing with complaints such as smuggling, human rights violation, manhandling, high-handedness of inmates

Prison staff may soon start donning body-worn cameras (BWCs) to record their interactions with jail inmates for "transparency, accountability, security and protection of human rights".

The government-police think-tank -- Bureau of Police Research and Development -- has now suggested that the states start the implementation of BWCs scheme in a phased manner and published a model Model Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on its implementation.

Currently, BWCs are being used in the country mainly by the traffic personnel and law and order police to counter allegations of police high-handedness.

"It is recommended that state correctional institutions can start implementation of BWCs scheme in a phased manner, carefully choosing pilot sites, where randomized controlled trials can be conducted on the benefits of BWC implementation," the BPRD has said in a five-page note.

Usage of the BWCs will provide evidence/footage as an "additional tool" to the correctional institutions in order to help secure the correctional staff and inmates and protect their human rights as well, the note said.

As such, it said, the pilot roll-out may be monitored and evaluated to study the benefits of the BWCs. This will help to set the standards for all other correctional institutions where similar schemes may be implemented, it added.

Citing the 2018 figures, the note said that 560 out of the 673 people who escaped were in judicial custody and there were 30 incidents of jailbreak and 106 instances of clashes inside jail premises.

Emphasising that maintaining security and safety measures at correctional homes is a crucial issue faced by the correctional administration, it also cited the inadequate staff strength, where only 60,024 personnel were assigned to look after 4.66 lakh inmates.

According to the BPRD, these cameras will help in dealing with various complaints on smuggling, human rights violation, manhandling, high-handedness of inmates as well as allegations of staff against inmates in terms of behaviour and vice-versa.

It is also expected to smoothen procedural impediments of security maintenance in correctional homes as well as facilitate the role of correctional staff at cells, entrance security level, judicial section, etc., wherever the direct contact with inmates is established.

The note said that BWCs could be used for searching and frisking, especially when inmates come back from courts and hospitals as well as during surprise checks to detect illegal items like mobile phones, contraband, currency, weapons and cigarettes and while handling high-risk criminals.

According to the SOP, the staff with BWCs will switch on and start recording once their duty starts and switch it off on the completion of the shift. "Staff with BWCs may switch off BWCs at his/her discretion for maintaining privacy of inmates and their own (for example during visit to wash-rooms, etc) with intimation to the control room. The back-up of recorded data will be secured for at least seven days," it said.