Vision for Prisons
Rehabilitation and Attitudinal healing. 
 "Vision
for Prisons" is the brainchild of Ms.
Kavita Kowshik, who has a Masters degree in
Social Work, and is also the facilitator of the
Association of Attitudinal Healing in India. Ms.
Kowshik, explaining the rationale behind the Vision
for Prisons, said, "Most of the undertrials
locked up in our jails are petty criminals. They
would have been locked up for more time than the
actual period of the sentence. Most prisoners
have been locked up for a long time as their families
cannot afford the fees of the lawyers".
The target group of the organization is committed
to prisoners and their families. The group is
also working for the rehabilitation of the Kanjarbhat
community, which had been branded from the British
times as a "Criminal Tribe". The
Kanjarbhats are originally nomads from Rajasthan
and have settled down in the different parts of
the State. The men have been unable to find jobs
so have been driven to crime.
 The
organization provides free legal aid to poor prisoners
and also gives reformative and supportive therapy
within the prison walls to the undertrials so
that they will be able to give up their ways.
The Organisation believes that through Attitudinal
Healing and medication, they can liberate the
minds of the prisoners, help them become more
compassionate, less angry and perhaps more aware
of their rights.
The Association of Attitudinal Healing International
has decided to celebrate January 1st
as Prison Day all over the world. On this day,
the group hopes that the world over, no prisoner
will experience any aggressive violence. It hopes
to send out a message that non-violence is possible
in prisons too.
The Organisation has been able to get the attention
of the Indian judiciary towards prison reforms.
In this regard, Ms. Kowshik had filed a petition
in the Mumbai High Court who have appointed a
judge to look into the matter of judicial reforms.
Address : Ms. Kowshik, Association
of Attitudinal Healing, 46 Hermes Heritage, Shastri
Nagar, Nagar Road,
Pune 411006. Phone- 6689002.
By - Rahul Surkund
Photos – Courtesy - Association of Attitudinal
Healing
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