ALTERNATIVE SANCTIONS TO CONVICTED OFFENDERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN BANGLADESH FOCUSING ON PROBATION AND PAROLE: A LESSON FROM INDIA

Abstract

The societies of Bangladesh and India are alarmingly victims of rampant criminal activities that result huge number of criminal litigations in the courts of law. Although the cardinal purpose of establishment of criminal justice system is to maintain peace and tranquility in the society by inflicting punishment to offenders there is no apparent sign of gradual decrease of crimes in the society in spite of sentencing remarkable number of offenders with different punishments by the courts in every year. Even it is commonly alleged that after release from prison it is quite tough for the prisoners to reintegrate themselves in the society and resultantly the released prisoners become a harder criminals. Different types of harsh punishments in jails make the prisoners cruel and vindictive and they learn the tactics of dreadful crimes coming in association with other habitual prisoners. Per contra, different kinds of alternative sanctions such as probation, community service, compensation and compromise with victim’s family and alternatives to imprisonment such as parole, conditional release and remission will be conducive in rehabilitation and reintegration the offenders in the society with an expectation of reduction of recidivism and maintenance of peace and tranquility. By introducing alternative sanctions to convicted offenders both the countries may find probable solutions of getting rid from the problem of acute overcrowding in jails and as such save a huge expenditure from government exchequer.