Language and Incarceration: Experiences of Linguistic Minorities in Indian Prisons

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrhs.net.v13.i9.1

Er. Shubham Jain

IIT Bombay

IIT Area, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400076, India

Abstract
This study offers an in-depth exploration of the experiences of linguistic minority inmates within Indian prisons, emphasizing how language barriers permeate every stage of incarceration—from arrest through trial, imprisonment, and rehabilitation. Drawing on multi-method qualitative research conducted between January and June 2025 across five state prisons (Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu), the project engaged thirty participants representing sixteen distinct language backgrounds via semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Findings uncover pervasive communication challenges: inadequate interpreter services in court proceedings, monolingual prison documentation, and exclusion from educational and vocational programs designed in dominant state languages. These barriers generate systemic inequities, compromising inmates’ basic legal rights, exacerbating mental health stressors, and undermining prospects for successful reintegration. The research also profiles organic coping strategies—such as inmate-led peer translation networks—and spotlights institutional innovations in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh, where multilingual orientation materials and NGO-facilitated interpreter programs have demonstrably improved comprehension and participation. Based on prisoners’ narratives and best-practice case studies, we propose comprehensive policy reforms mandating interpreter services at all judicial and correctional stages, translation of core prison materials into major minority languages, and training programs for prison staff in basic translation and culturally responsive communication. By centering linguistic justice as fundamental to equitable treatment, this study underscores the imperative to transform India’s prison system into one that upholds universal human rights, fosters rehabilitation, and reduces recidivism through inclusive practices.

Keywords

Linguistic Minorities, Indian Prisons, Language Barriers, Prison Rehabilitation, Access to Justice

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