Central Prison and Correctional Home, Thiruvananthapuram, is situated in Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala state of India. It was established in Kerala in the year of 1886 as a part of Travancore It is one of the three central prisons other than Kannur and Viyyur, situated in Kerala. These are the institutions meant for confining persons sentenced to undergo imprisonment above 6 months and to lodge the detainees, prisoners convicted by court martial and the civil prisoners. Remand / Under Trial prisoners are also accommodated in central prisons, if the nearby sub jails are overcrowded.
History
The history of the Jails in the Travancore part of the State begins in the year 1862 with three Principal Jails. 1873 Central Jail at Trivandrum was sanctioned and started functioning inside the fort in a building which was used as barracks for the Nayar Brigade. In September 1886 it was transferred and accommodated in the buildings put up for the purpose in Poojappura, Trivandrum. Besides Police Station lock-ups in the different parts of Travancore were also serving the purpose of Jails for confinement of prisoners whose sentences were below one month. In 1949 when the state of Travancore-Cochin was formed there were two Central Jails at Trivandrum and Viyyur and 7 Sub Jails in the Cochin part of the State besides the police station lock-ups serving the purpose of Sub Jails in the Travancore part. Senior most of the Superintendent Central Prisons acts as the Ex-Officio Inspector General of Prisons till 31-03-1953. First Central Prison was established at Kannur in the year 1869. First District Jail was established at Kozhikode in the year 1861. First Open Prison was established at Nettukaltheri, Trivandrum on 28 August 1962. First Women’s Prison was established at Neyyattinkara, Trivandrum in the year 1990. The first Inspector General was appointed on 01-04-1953 in order to be independent in the discharge of function as per the provisions in the Prisons Act for the purpose of the Act. The Prisons Headquarters/ Office of the Inspector General of Prisons was sanctioned with effect from 01-04-1953. Since 1986 officers from the Police Department are being appointed to act as Inspector General of Prisons. In September 1975 the Administrative control of Social Welfare Institutions and the Probation services was transferred to the Social Welfare Department.
Prison manufactory
The principle of prison labour has been adopted in Kerala as can be seen from the Kerala Prison Rules and Kerala Prison Manual. The work programmes now arranged in the Prisons include, weaving, carpentry, Smithy, Tailoring, Printing and Binding, Soap Making, etc. The inmates are making their own clothing and bedding in the manufactory units. The furniture are supplied to various Government Departments on demand. Agricultural operations are also going on them in Central Prisons as well as Open Prison. The inmates are giving stipendiary Training courses in masonry and carpentry under the guidance of Nirmithi Kendra. Computer Training programmes are also conducting in association with IGNOU and Akshaya IT Mission.
