PANJIM: The Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) has recommended that the Colvale prison should be sensitive to imprisoned parents maintaining contact with their children.
The Goa SCPCR and Child Welfare Committee, North Goa and South Goa,recently visited the Colvale Jail to reach out to children of incarcerated parents in the society. The visit focused on mapping the status of children of incarcerated parents.
The GSCPCR has recommended to the Inspector General of Prisons that the prison premises should be more flexible with visitation restrictions for children with child sensitive and friendly security procedures. “This would mean allowing private time between children and parents, and letting children touch and talk to their parent in a room, which is child-friendly, with provision of toys and books in waiting room” said GSCPCR’s Chairperson Peter Borges.
As per Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, the conditions of children in need of care of special care and protection need to be carefully mapped and monitored to see that they are not being treated in any discriminatory manner in case they are with relatives or are stigmatised for being children of prisoners.
“Children of incarcerated parents are forced to adjust to a parentless existence and have to deal with stigma of having such parents, amidst turmoil and economic distress. In many cases, they have to readjust and also take on new roles to provide domestic, emotional, or financial support for other family members,” Borges added.
During the course of the mapping study by GSCPCR, several prisoners, especially undertrials, have narrated the trauma of not having met their children for long years. The facility in the jail premises for children to interact with their incarcerated parents is not child-friendly and could result in a traumatic experience.
