National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released its key annual statistical reports titled  Prison Statistics India (PSI) 2023 Report, Crime in India 2023 Report, and Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) 2023 Report providing critical insights into crime, prisons, accidental deaths, and suicides across the country.

More About the Reports

• Crime in India Report: The oldest NCRB publication, it covers registered crimes, disposal of cases, arrests, and crimes against vulnerable groups (women, children, SC/ST, senior citizens). 
  • It also includes emerging areas such as cybercrime, human trafficking, and environmental offences.
• Prison Statistics India (PSI) Report: Focuses on prisons, prisoners, and prison infrastructure. 
  • Includes sex- and age-wise inmate data, prison capacity, staffing, budget, vocational training, and welfare measures. 
  • It serves as the principal databank on correctional facilities in India.
• Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI) Report: Provides detailed data on accidental deaths (natural and unnatural causes) and suicides, including road accidents, professional and social profiles of victims, and farmer suicides. 
  • It is the most comprehensive national databank on this subject.

A. Crime in India 2023 Report

Key Findings of Crime in India 2023 Report

• Overall Crime: 6.24 million cases registered in 2023 (7.2% rise from 2022).
  • Crime rate: 448.3 per lakh population (up from 422.2 in 2022).
  • On average, one crime every 5 seconds in India.
• Changing Pattern: Traditional violent crimes ( Murder (↓2.8%), Rape (↓5.9%), Dowry deaths (↓4.6%), Attempt to rape (↓15%) show decline, while cyber, and urban crimes ( Rash driving (↑7.5%), Obstruction on public way (↑62%) are surging.
  • Cybercrimes: Cybercrime in India rose 31.2% in 2023, with the majority of cases related to fraud
    • Karnataka reported the highest number of cybercrime cases (21,889), followed by Telangana (18,236) and Uttar Pradesh (10,794).
  • Metropolitan Cities: In metropolitan cities, crime rose by 10.6% to 9.44 lakh cases, with theft accounting for 44.8%, followed by rash driving (9.2%) and obstruction on public ways (8.1%). 
    • Delhi saw the highest number of cases. 
• Crime Against Vulnerable Sections: 
  • Women: Crime Against Women rose marginally (0.7%), yet domestic cruelty (29.8%) remains predominant
  • SCs and STs: Crimes against scheduled castes (SCs) rose marginally, however crimes against Scheduled Tribes rose 28.8%, with Manipur leading (3,399 cases, up from just 1 in 2022) due to ethnic violence.
    • Madhya Pradesh ranked second, followed by Rajasthan, highlighting continued risks for tribal communities beyond Manipur.
  • Children: Crimes against children rose (9.2%), with a significant share under POCSO, reflecting both children’s vulnerability and improved reporting under the Act.

Pathways to Strengthening Crime Prevention and Justice

• Strengthening Cybersecurity & Digital Literacy: Establish specialised cybercrime police units in every state with advanced forensic capabilities.
  • Expand digital literacy programs to equip citizens especially vulnerable groups like the elderly and rural users against online fraud.
• Urban Crime Management: Introduce smart surveillance systems in metropolitan hotspots (CCTV, AI-based traffic monitoring).
  • Prioritise road safety campaigns and stricter enforcement of rash driving and obstruction-related offences.
  • Promote community policing models in high-crime urban areas to rebuild trust and ensure faster response.
• Protecting Vulnerable Groups
  • Women: Expand counselling and shelter homes; fast-track domestic cruelty and harassment cases through special courts
  • SCs & STs: Strengthen enforcement of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, ensure higher conviction rates, and launch community sensitisation drives to reduce social bias.
  • Children: Widen coverage of POCSO awareness programs, invest in child-friendly police stations, and expand rehabilitation for victims of trafficking and abuse.
• Judicial & Policing Reforms: Fast-track undertrial cases to reduce pendency and increase conviction rates.
  • Modernise policing with data-driven crime mapping, predictive analytics, and integrated criminal databases.
  • Ensure better training and mental health support for police, especially in handling sensitive crimes (gender, caste, child-related).
• Community & Preventive Interventions: Promote violence-prevention programs at the grassroots level, involving schools, panchayats, and local leaders.
  • Encourage NGO participation in victim support, rehabilitation, and awareness campaigns.
  • Invest in education, employment opportunities, and de-addiction programs to address root causes of youth crime.

B. Prison Statistics India (PSI) 2023 Report

Key Findings of the Prison Statistics India (PSI) 2023 Report 

• Overall Prison Population: Prison population declined in 2023 (4.4% decline from 2022).
  • India had 1,332 prisons in 2023, up from 1,330 in 2022.

• National occupancy rate improved slightly to 120.8% (from 131.4% in 2022), meaning Indian prisons were holding about 21% more inmates than their sanctioned capacity.
  • Overcrowding: Delhi prisons worst affected: 200% occupancy and Telangana has the lowest occupancy with 72.8%.
  • Overcrowding worsens hygiene, ventilation, diet quality, and access to clean water.
• Undertrials vs Convicts: Undertrials dominate with 73.5% of all prisoners. This is reflecting persistent judicial delays.
• • Uttar Pradesh had the highest undertrial population
  • Demographics of Prisoners: 44% aged 18–30 and 43% aged 30–50.
  • Education: 25% uneducated, 40% not beyond Class X.
• Female Inmates Vulnerability: Women (4.1% of inmates) face inadequate gender-sensitive facilities, limited hygiene access, and insufficient medical care.
•  Foreign Prisoners: Rose 10.7% in 2023 from 2022 with 74% undertrials, 21% convicts.
  • Majority from Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, Nigeria.
• Deaths in Prisons: 1,972 deaths in 2023 with 150 unnatural, including 96 suicides. This highlight neglect of inmates’ psychological well-being.
  • Punjab, Haryana, UP reported most unnatural deaths.

Important Committees on Prison Reform & Recommendation 

• Mulla Committee (1980–1983): Headed by Justice A.N. Mulla.
  • Key Recommendations:
    • Establish Indian Prisons and Correctional Services.
    • Separate undertrials from convicts.
    • Media and public access to jails.
    • Emphasis on rehabilitation, after-care, and correctional training.
    • Allocation of adequate funds for prison improvements.
• Krishna Iyer Committee (1987): Focused on women prisoners.
  • Suggested:
    • More female staff.
    • Legal aid, education, and vocational training for women inmates.
    • Protection from custodial sexual abuse.
• Justice Amitava Roy Panel on Prison Reforms (2018-2020)
  • Overcrowding: Maintain a lawyer-to-prisoner ratio of at least one lawyer for every 30 prisoners.
  • Understaffing: Direct the Supreme Court to initiate recruitment for vacant positions.
    • Use of video conferencing for trials.
  • Prisoner Rights: Allow each new prisoner one free phone call daily to family during their first week.

Initiatives Related to Prison Reforms in India

• Open Prisons System: Based on trust and good behaviour, prisoners live with minimal security and can work in the open.
  • Aim: Reduce overcrowding and promote social reintegration.
  • Rajasthan leads with 41 open prisons.
  • However, only 3% of convicts are housed in open prisons; underutilized in most states​.
• E-Prisons Project: Initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Digitizes prisoner records and integrates data through the Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).
• E-Mulaqat: Enables digital communication between prisoners and their families/legal advisors.
• Undertrial Review Committees (UTRCs): Mandated by Supreme Court to periodically review cases of undertrials eligible for release.
  • Aimed at: Reducing pre-trial detentions; Ensuring bail and parole where due.
  • Supported under both the Model Prison Manual and Model Act 2023.
• Legal Aid & Paralegal Volunteer Programmes: Supported by National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
  • Activities include: Legal awareness in prisons; Paralegal volunteers to assist undertrials in applying for bail.
• Vocational Training and Rehabilitation Schemes: Introduced in some prisons (e.g., Tihar Jail’s SMART program, Srijan project).
  • Focus: Skill building, psychological support, post-prison reintegration.
  • However, such programs are exceptions, not uniformly implemented across the country​.
  • Delhi University’s Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) has partnered with Tihar Jail to offer skill-based courses to inmates, aimed at their rehabilitation and integration into society. 
• Prison Labor Reforms: Shift from punitive to productive labor.
  • In some open prisons, inmates are paid market wages, out of which they pay for their upkeep.
  • Maharashtra introduced a comprehensive prison wage system in 1949—a model followed by other states later​.
• Innovative Approaches
• • Vipassana Meditation: Successfully reduced recidivism in Tihar Jail (1995) by promoting mental well-being.
  • Aftercare Programs: NGOs like Seva Sadan aid reintegration through housing and employment support.

Way Forward for Prison Reforms in India

• Adopt and Implement the Model Prisons Act, 2023: States should replace the outdated Prisons Act, 1894 with the new Model Act to align with rehabilitative and rights-based goals.
  • The Act promotes education, mental health support, separate accommodation for women and transgender inmates, and technology integration​.
• Reduce Undertrial Detentions through Legal Aid & Fast-Track Mechanisms: Expand the role of Undertrial Review Committees (UTRCs) and strengthen free legal aid from the point of arrest—not just during trial.
  • Implement Section 436A CrPC effectively and encourage plea bargaining to decongest jails​​.
• Expand and Utilise Open Prisons: Promote open prisons for well-behaved convicts, as endorsed by the Supreme Court in Suhas Chakma (2024).
  • These institutions reduce costs, promote self-discipline, and aid in social reintegration—but currently house only 3% of convicts​.
• Strengthen Prison Staffing and Training: Urgently fill 30–45% vacant positions in cadre, correctional, and medical staff.
  • Provide basic and in-service training, especially in mental healthcare and human rights compliance​.
• Ensure Dignified Conditions and Eliminate Discrimination: Eliminate caste-based duties (as recently directed by the Supreme Court).
  • Improve facilities for women inmates, including healthcare, childcare, and regular visits​.
• Strengthen Oversight Mechanisms: Ensure regular inspections by Board of Visitors (BoVs) and encourage media access for transparency.
  • Only 899 inspections were recorded in 2022 against a required 3,100+; this must be rectified for accountability​.

C. Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) 2023 Report

Key Findings of Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) 2023 Report

• Overall Accidental Deaths & Suicides: India recorded 1,71,418 suicides in 2023, while 1,73,826 people were killed in road accidents.
  • Together, these numbers highlight the dual crisis of mental health distress and road safety failures.
• Road Accidents: 4,64,029 road accidents in 2023, an increase of 17,261 cases from 2022.
  • Fatalities rose 1.6%  in 2023 from 2022
  • Two-wheelers accounted for 45.8%, followed by pedestrians and cars/SUVs/jeeps 
  • Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest two-wheeler fatalities.
  • Causes: Over-speeding (58.6%) and dangerous driving (23.6%) were the two leading causes of fatal accidents.
  • Time & Location Patterns: Most accidents occurred between 6–9 pm (20.7%), followed by 3–6 pm (17.3%).
  • National Highways accounted for 34.6% of deaths, State Highways 23.4%, and other roads 42%.
  • UP, TN, Maharashtra, Karnataka, MP recorded the highest highway fatalities.
• Farmer & Agricultural Worker Suicides: 10,786 suicides in the farming sector (6.3% of total suicides).
  • More Agricultural labourers (6,096) committed suicide than Farmers (4,690)
  • Maharashtra (38.5%) and Karnataka (22.5%) together accounted for 60% of farm suicides.
    • Other states with high farm suicides: Andhra Pradesh (8.6%), Madhya Pradesh (7.2%), Tamil Nadu (5.9%).
• Drug Overdose Deaths: 654 drug overdose deaths recorded nationally in 2023.
  • Punjab led (89 deaths) for the second year in a row, followed by Madhya Pradesh (85) and Rajasthan (84).
  • Punjab also ranked among the top 3 states under NDPS Act cases, showing deep links between trafficking and drug-related fatalities.
• Illicit/Spurious Liquor Deaths: Highest in Jharkhand (194), followed by Karnataka (79) and Bihar (57).
  • Punjab reported 33 such deaths, placing it among the top five states

What are the Major Reasons for Farmer Suicides?

• Debt Burden: Rising input costs and low crop prices trap farmers in cycles of debt.
  • Dependence on moneylenders, who charge exorbitant interest rates (30–40%), makes repayment impossible after crop failures.
• Crop Failures and Climate Stress: Erratic rainfall, droughts, floods, and pest attacks severely affect yields.
  • Monsoon dependency and shrinking water resources worsen agricultural risks.
• Low Profitability and Market Volatility: Farmers often spend more on seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides than they earn from sales. 
  • Price crashes in crops like cotton, soybean, onion, and pulses intensify rural distress.
• Policy Gaps and Limited Insurance Coverage: Crop insurance schemes often exclude tenant farmers and landless workers.
  • Poor compensation for crop loss adds to financial stress.
• Socio-Cultural Pressures: Expenditures on marriages, dowry, or social obligations deepen financial insecurity.
  • Alcohol and drug addiction further aggravate distress, particularly in rural belts.
• Mental Health Neglect: Depression, hopelessness, and fear of social stigma contribute to rising suicides.

Consequences of Rising Farmer Suicides

• Economic Losses in Agriculture: Suicides reflect the weakening of “agriculture as an enterprise” and undermine productivity.
• Impact on Rural Economy: The death of a breadwinner disrupts entire rural households and triggers ripple effects on local businesses.
• Social Consequences: Families especially women and children are left in emotional trauma and financial instability.
• Mental Health Spillover: Communities with high suicide rates report increased substance abuse and mental health challenges.
• Threat to National Food Security: Repeated agrarian distress could threaten India’s ability to ensure sustainable food supply.

Government Initiatives to Reduce Farmer Suicides

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Crop insurance scheme for compensation during crop failures.
• PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi: Direct income support of ₹6,000 annually to farmers.
• Debt Waiver Schemes: State-level initiatives to provide relief to indebted farmers.
• National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): Focuses on climate-resilient farming practices.
• e-NAM (National Agriculture Market): Online platform to ensure better price discovery and reduce middlemen exploitation.

What Should be the Way Forward?

• Strengthen Credit Access: Expand institutional credit to small and marginal farmers; curb exploitation by moneylenders.
• Crop Diversification: Encourage less water-intensive and climate-resilient crops, reducing monocrop dependence.
• Legal MSP Guarantee: Provide farmers with assured minimum support prices to protect them from market fluctuations.
• Mental Health Support: Establish rural counselling centres and integrate mental health services in primary healthcare.
• Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Promote drought-resistant varieties, efficient irrigation, and sustainable practices.
• Rural Employment Diversification: Generate non-farm rural employment through agro-processing, small industries, and skill development.
  

Conclusion

The data reveals India’s evolving vulnerabilities from cybercrimes and road accidents to prison overcrowding and farmer suicides. Bridging these gaps calls for evidence-based policies, judicial efficiency, and inclusive welfare strategies.

DOWNLOAD PDF