Abstract

The Indian criminal justice system has long grappled with issues of overburdened prisons, delayed trials, and a predominantly punitive approach to justice. In this context, police reforms and the promotion of community-based punishment emerge as crucial tools for building a more effective, humane, and rehabilitative justice framework. This paper explores the interrelation between police reforms and the implementation of non-custodial sentencing, analysing their viability within the Indian legal context. While the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, and the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 offer statutory backing for community punishments such as probation, community service, and restorative justice, their implementation remains minimal due to structural and institutional challenges. Simultaneously, police reforms—mandated by landmark judgments such as Prakash Singh v. Union of India—remain only partially implemented across states, hampering the transition to a more community-oriented model of justice. The abstract examines how reforming the police to become more transparent, accountable, and community-driven can directly support the goals of community punishment by fostering trust, ensuring effective supervision, and promoting rehabilitation. Drawing on legal provisions, case laws, and comparative practices, this paper argues that integrated police reforms are essential for the success of community-based alternatives to incarceration in India. Ultimately, it calls for a collaborative framework involving judiciary, law enforcement, and civil society to strengthen non-custodial measures and promote restorative justice. Given the challenges of overcrowding, undertrial delays, and insufficient rehabilitation facilities in prisons, the urgency for non-custodial alternatives has emerged as a significant policy issue.

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