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| I. INTRODUCTION |
Voluntary Action for Rehabilitation
and Development (VARHAD) is a registered Non-Governmental Organization.
VARHAD is working with undertrial and convict prisoners and their
families towards their reformation and rehabilitation, based in
Amravati Central Prison. A team of Social Workers, Para-professional
Social Workers, Teachers, Trainers, support staff and Volunteers
are working for the cause. The workers interact with prisoners and
their families keeping in mind the objectives of the organization.
Following are the objectives of VARHAD while working with the prisoners
and their families : |
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1 |
Support the person vulnerable to crime. |
2 |
Prevent further criminalization of first time offenders in the prison. |
3. |
Reformation of the person committed to crime and antisocial activities. |
4 |
Support children and families of the needy and poor undertrial and
convict prisoners. |
5. |
Mobilize resources for Legal Aid to the needy and poor prisoners. |
6. |
Provide support to the prisoners in helping towards their reintegration
into the |
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Liaison between the prisoner, family, Criminal Justice System,
other persons and agencies to achieve the above objectives. |
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We had begun in 2002 with only
two part-time workers by taking up cases in the Amravati Central
Prison. Over a period of time, the team gradually expanded to 20
full-time workers and volunteers. In the beginning, we only focused
on the children of women prisoners who were with their mothers in
the prison. Now we are also working with the children of male and
female undertrial and convict prisoners left outside. Since this
prison is a Central Prison, there are convicts and undertrials from
Amravati and four other districts of Vidharbha housed in it. Thus,
the families of these prisoners are spread our in all the four districts
of Yavatmal, Washim, Akola, and Buldhana, besides Amravati. Besides
provision to help the prisoners for legal aid, we also assist the
prisoners to avail of the prison facilities like parole and furlough.
VARHAD provides vocational training to the women prisoners in the
prison through a Training Center based in the prison. We have also
started a "Sawitribai Phule Mahila Punarwasan Kendra"
(Women Rehabilitation Center ) for released women prisoners. Aftercare
services are provided to the released prisoners. Through this, began
our work with the police in regard to the rehabilitation of released
prisoners. This Rehabilitation Center plays an important role in
our work towards crime prevention in the community. |
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