The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data indicates that criminal activities across the country is on an upsurge, not only sexual assaults but also theft and killings. What is worse is that jails all over are reporting jammed capacities and are in no position to accommodate the surging numbers.

We decided to do a quick analysis of the numbers available with NCRB to understand the ‘inmate population’ and the ‘occupancy rate’ of prisons at the end of 2011. The data shows that out of the 28 states of India, 10 have an occupancy rate of more than 100% with Chhattisgarh taking the lead at 256%. However, the total occupancy rate among among Union Territories is much higher at 173.7% mostly due to heavy population in Lakshadweep (500%), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (362 %) and Delhi (194%).

An interesting revelation is that Uttar Pradesh’s inmate population of 82,383 is more than the inmate population of almost 17 other Indian states (see chart above). Not too surprising considering that it is the largest state in India (population-wise) and also has the highest number of MLA’s with criminal cases (189). On the other hand, states like Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Mizoram and Tripura have an occupancy rate of less than 70% and have also seen a fall in inmate population over the year these numbers were recorded.

The above figures are closely related to the condition of prisons throughout the country, many of which lack in infrastructure and several amenities. To get some more insights on the states of prisons, we spoke to an official from an NGO that works closely with prison inmates in Maharashtra. He said that not only are prisons overcrowded but many lack basic amenities. “Sometimes even fans and blankets are not available and inmates have to find ways to get them,” he said.

Also overcrowded prisons lead to issues like infighting which has even taken lives in the past. With courts taking years to settle cases, there seems little respite in the near future, building more prisons or increasing capacity of the existing ones is probably the only way out.