Social Justice

Sahajeevanam

Covid 19 pandemic has increased psychological distress in the general population and among marginalized groups, especially in persons with disabilities. Such people with special needs cannot perform their day to day activities without someone else’s support. The psycho-social impact of Covid-19 has drastically affected the mental health of differently abled persons as well as their parents and care providers. 

Social Justice Department under Government of Kerala has launched a novel initiative ‘Sahajeevanam help-desk’ to ensure doorstep delivery of services to differently-abled people and to provide them assistance and mental support during distress. This project is being implemented by the Social Justice Department in association with other Government Departments of Health, Education, Local Self Government and Women and Child Development. 

The Sahajeevanam support centres will function in all blocks in the State to provide mental support and ensure doorstep delivery of government services to the differently abled. Almost 3,000 volunteers including special educators have been selected from Special schools, Buds school and Samagra Shiksha Kerala for project implementation in every panchayath under the National Trust local-level committees. .

Disability Services

Differently Abled is often described in terms of lack of normal functioning of physical, mental or psychological processes. It is also defined as learning difficulties or difficulties in adjusting socially, which interfaces with a person’s normal growth and development.  A disabled child has been defined as one who is unable to ensure by himself, wholly or partially the necessities of a normal individual or social life including work as a result of deficiency whether congenital or not in his physical or mental capabilities.

Persons having any of the disabilities, namely, visual, communication (hearing and/or speech) and locomotor, will be considered physically disabled. More and more people are now convinced that "disabled" is not the right term to describe people who are challenged. Many now prefer using the term "differently abled".

Probation and Aftercare

Probation is universally accepted as an effective and scientific method for prevention of crime and delinquency. The age-old idea was that the offender should be confined to the prison and kept away from the community as long as possible. But, in course of time, it has been realized that the protection of society is better ensured if the offender is corrected and reformed through individualized treatments. 

However, it has been perceived that all human beings do not respond in the same manner to a given stimuli. Two individuals may commit the same crime but each act differs from the other in its social, economics, psychological and environmental ramification. This basic understanding has led to the innovation of a number of treatment method for offenders.

Prison or correctional institutions are no longer regarded as custodial institution only but also as treatment and training centres for those who fall foul with laws. But, in due course it was realized that prisons do not serve the purpose of training and rehabilitation of all categories of offenders. Therefore, in course of time, various non-institutional methods of treatment for offenders have been introduced eg: probation, parole, premature release, half-way houses etc. There are all community based non institutional treatment methods.

Thus, Probation is a non-institutional treatment method designed to facilitate the social re-adjustment of offenders. It developed as an alternative to imprisonment. Probation is a method of dealing with specially selected offenders and consists of the conditional suspension of punishment while the offender is placed under the personal supervision of the probation officer and is given individualized treatment. 

The length of the probation varies and is determined by the court. Moreover, probation is the application of modern scientific casework to individuals, outside institution with the authority of the law behind it. It calls for the careful study of the individual and intensive supervision  by the competent, trained probation officers.

The object of probation is the ultimate re-establishment of the offenders in the community. The law helps him to help himself to erase the stigma of conviction and gives him the guidance of the probation officer.

The supervisory function of a Probation Officer are protecting the community and helping individual under care. The probation officer helps the probationer to become law-abiding and stable. During the probation period, the probation officer maintains contact with the offender to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations and also provides various types of assistance to him.

Whom to contact- Details of District Probation Offices

After Care Services

Assistance to After Care Programmes
Social Rehabilitation of ex-convicts and offenders placed under supervision of poor economic condition is a grave social problem.  This scheme is to provide some financial assistance to them for starting some Industry, Craft or Small Trade so as to enable them to earn a livelihood. 

The After Care Programme intended to rehabilitate released prisoners and probationers coming under the supervision of District Probation Officers.  By utilizing this amount they shall be engaged in small scale income generating activities.  The amount of assistance is Rs.10,000/- per head.  If the amount is insufficient for meeting the expenses this can be attached with some bank loan. The beneficiaries will be selected by the ‘After Care Association” organized for the welfare of Ex-convicts.  The application form will be available from the District Probation Officer.

Victim Rehabilitation Fund

The scheme is intended to rehabilitate the victims of serious crimes.  The scheme actually implemented in the year 2001-02 as per G.O (MS) No.33/2001/SWD Dated : TVM 24-12-01. 

This is intended to help the victims of serious crimes.  In this scheme compensation shall be given to the victims for:
1.    Treatment
2.    Housing
3.    Destruction of Crops
4.    Education
5.    Income generating activities and 
6.    Rape victims

The maximum amount of compensation will be Rs. 10,000/-.  Applications will be invited through advertisement in news papers.  The application forms shall be available from the District Probation Offices.

Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Families of Indigent Convicts

The objective of the scheme is to give financial assistance to the families of indigent convicts to start any income generating activities for their rehabilitation.  The scheme was implemented during the financial year 2002-03.  This is a bank loan linked scheme in which the governmental subsidy shall be 30% of the total project proposal approved by a bank.

Nervazhi

The Nervazhi project is implemented in the State to rejuvenate and modernize the probation system in Kerala. It aims for better and regular identification of offenders eligible for probation, to undertake comprehensive investigation reports to ascertain whether they are amenable to correction, to provide necessary psychological treatment when necessary, and to ensure effective supervision to enhance the likelihood that the probationers will be integrated back into society. Through this process of increased application of probation, the project aims to reduce recidivism, reintegrate the offenders back into mainstream society, to reduce overcrowding in prisons and to increase the efficiency of the criminal justice system.

The objective is to reform the offender by allowing him to reintegrate with his family and reduce the social stigma always attached to an offender's family.

Beneficiary Target group

1. Offenders between age group 18 and 21 who have not committed serious offences

2. Under Trial prisoners

3. Remand prisoners

4. Young offenders released on bail.

5. First accused between 18 to 25 years

6. Ex-prisoners and family

7. Borstal school residents and family members

8. Children of prisoners

24x7 Transgender Helpline

Transgender communities face severe hardships, discrimination and neglect from the society and are living under hostile conditions. Lack of proper awareness and realization of transgender issues at ground level is the ultimate cause for such issues. This group needs more attention for mainstreaming into the society.

Kerala is the first State to establish a Policy for Transgenders, in India. As a novel initiative, Social Justice Department under Government of Kerala has launched a 24x7 transgender helpline - 1800 425 2147. The objective is to provide necessary assistance to transgenders who are in distress, enlighten them with an idea of their basic rights and also provide counselling and legal assistance. This one of a kind helpline will also act as a crisis management centre that ensures the service of community counsellors and legal advisers.

Transgender Cell

With the intention of mainstreaming the Transgender community and upholding their rights, Social Justice Department has implemented several transgender-friendly welfare schemes in the State. A Transgender cell has been constituted under the Directorate of Social Justice as per G.O (Rt) No. 86/2018/SJD dated 20-02-2018.

The main objective of Transgender cell is to provide assistance and support the functioning of state transgender justice board and district transgender justice committees. The cell would also formulate and coordinate the Transgender welfare initiatives of the Department.

The Transgender cell consists of the following members:-All members are from the Trangender community.

• 1 Project Officer.

• 2 Project Assistants.

• 1 Office attendant.