Correctional Department

Year	Event
1827	The first open jail was established at Sittway.
1830	Thandwe jail was opened.
1831	Mawlamyainge jail was opened.
1867	Myeik jail was opened.
1869	Thayet jail was opened.
1871	Insein Central jail was opened.
1872	Dawei jail was opened.
1877	Paungde jail was opened.
1885	Taungoo jail was opened.
1886	Kyaukphyu jail was opened.
1889	Shwebo jail was opened.
1890	Meikhtila jail and Pyay jail were opened.
1892	Myingyan jail was opened.
1894	Nyaung -U jail was opened.
1895	Pakokku jail and Thahton jail were opened.
1900	The Prisoners Act ( Act III of 1900 ) was laid down.
1907	Monywa jail was opened.
1909	Phyarpon jail was opened.
1920	The Identification of Prisoners Act ( Act XXXIII of 1920) was laid down.
1921	Tharyarwaddy jail was opened.
1930	The Young Offenders Act (1930) was laid down.
1931	Training School for Young Offenders (Bostal) was opened at Thayet.
1933	Kyainge Tonge jail was opened.

British Colonialist Era (1824 to 1942)

Early History

Home : Correctional Department

www.myanmar.com/Ministry/Moha/default.htm

Correctional Department

Director General of Prisons Department inspecting the Camp of Agricultural Production.

Model plantation square of Prisons Departments

Quarry excavation and production Camp of the Prisons Department.

Delegates of the International Committee of Red Cross observing the Moatpalin quarry excavation and production Camp of the Prisons Department.

The scene of Monsoon-Paddy cultivation in The New Life agricultural farm of the Prisons Department.

The services persons of Paungdi Prisons Department contributing their labour for township senitary parogramme.

Myanmar Police Force |

General Administration |

Bureau Of Special Investigation |

Correctional |

CCDAC

Welcome

The Myanmar Prisons Department was established during the British colonial times, under Indian Medical Services (IMS). The Higher Officials from the IMS were appointed as the Inspector General of the Prisons Department and District or Township Medical Officer as a superintendent of a prison.
Deal specially with the establishment and management of the jails, the confinement and treatment of person therein, and the maintenance of the discipline amongst then, The Prisons Act (1894) and the Manual of Rules for the Superintendence and Management of Jail in Burma, Part I and Part II
were laid down. From 1830, jails were built one after another. During the British colonialist era, 9 central jails, 18 district jails, 6 subsidiary jails and 2 quarry camps were established.

Japanese Regime (1942 to 1945)

Year	Event
1942-1945	Prison Administrative System was not systematic and inconsistance.

Year		Event
1948	March	According to the Judicial Department Memorandum No.71/1948, the General Amnesty was issued to commemorate the Independence of the Union of Myanmar.
1948	-	Tharay Si Thu U Ba Mg was appointed as the first Myanmar Inspector General of the Prisons Department and also to take charge of the Police Department. The Prisons Department was under the Judicial Department.
1949	-	Magway Jail was destroyed by the insurgents.
1950	9th, December	Yangon Central Jail was launched as a model jail.
1951	22nd, January	Myaungmya was launched as a model jail.
1951	17th, March	Insein Central Jail was launched as a model jail.
1951	29th, November	Mandalay Central Jail was launched as a model jail.
1952	2nd, April	Pathein Jail was launched as a model jail.
1958	-	Coco Islands Camp Jail was opened and after two years it was closed.
1959	-	Gawthu Camp Jail was opened in Phyapon District with the aim of livestock breeding and farming. After two years it was closed.
1962	8th, May	Monywa-Gangaw Road Construction Camp was opened and then renamed as Pale-Gangaw Road Construction Camp. On 23th July 1962 it was renamed as Workers Brigade, and the prisoners are to be called as Yebets (Comrades).
1962	25th, June	Maungdaw Jail was opened.
1963	1st , April	General Amnesty was promulgated by the Government on 5th April 1963 and the President of the Revolutionary Council General Ne Win gave a speech to the released prisoners at Yangon Central Jail.
1964	-	The Workers Brigade was renamed as the Brigade of State Building of the Myanmar Socialist Programme Party.
1964	14th, January	Vide, the Government of the Union of Myanmar Memorandum No. 2, dated 14th, January 1964, the classification of prisoners as "A", "B" and "C" was abolished.
1964	-	Myitkyina Jail, Thibaw Jail, Kyainge Tonge Jail and Loikaw Jail were opened.
1964	13th, June	Yangon Central Jail was closed.
1965	21st, July	Model Prison System was abolished, according to the Judicial Department Letter No. 133-Takha-65(959) dated 21st, July 1965.
1972	15th, March	The New Prison Administration System was introduced and Committee of the Controlling and Aboding the Yebets.
1972	27th, June	The Amnesty Order was given according to the Memorandum No.87.
1973	25th, July	Lashio jail was opened.
1974	28th, February	Prisons Department came under the Ministry of Home and Religious Affairs as the Judicial Department was eleminated.
1974	1st, March	The Young Offenders Training School (Bostal)(Thayet) was transferred under the Ministry of Social Welfare.
1974	1st, April	The Prisons Department set-up was amended and therefore there is 1 Director-General Office, 5 Director Offices, 9 '' A'' grade prisons, 6 '' B'' grade prisons, 20 ''C'' grade prisons and 1Brigade of Contributors of the People's Cause. The Organization of the Prisons Staff was 261 officers, 2578 Staffs, 183 Clerical Staff and 63 Technicians altogether 3885 Staff at that time.
1976	8th, February	Shwethahtaytar Camp Jail was opened at Tonte Township, Yangon Division.
1977	25th, October	A new set up was introduced and there were 387 officers, 4254 subordinates, totalling 4641 staffs.
1978	24th, January	According to the 100th Ministrial Meeting, the Board of the Utilization of the Labour Contributors was formed.
1978	17th, April	Yangon-Mandalay Road Construction Camp was opened.
1979	1st, April	Quarry Corporation was abolished and put under the Prisons Department. Therefore the strength of the staff was 5179. Belin, Htonbo and Taungzun Quarry Camps are ''A'' grade camps, Moppalin, Phayar Ngar Su, Yesin and 4-mile Taungoo Quarry Camps are ''B'' grade camps and Belin (Female), Htonbo(Female), Yezin (Female), and Yinnyein Quarry Camps are ''C'' grade camps.
1978	21st, November	According to the Ministrial meeting 2/31, the Directorate of Planing was introduced with 19 personnel so that the prisons staff set up became 4660.
1980	28th, May	The Amnesty Order was promulgated by the Government Order No. 2/80.
1981	8th, April	8 Camps for Oil -palm Plantation opened in Kawthaung.

Year	Event
1945	When the British Government left, they took some of the prison staffs with them to Hoshaupu ( Panjab, India )and the New Manual of Rules for the Superintendence and Management of Jails were drawn up.

Japanese Regime (1945 to 1948)

Post-Independence Era (1948 to 1962)

1988 to March 2004

Objectives

The Correctional Department is one of the departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Its objectives are as follows:-

to keep in safe custody all those who have breached the prevailing laws and have been a cause against the stability of the State,

to put to good use the idle labour of prisoners in productive programmes such as
agriculture, live stock breeding and production of aggregates,

to co-operate and collaborate with other government departments and organizations
in the implementation of construction programmes in all the States, Divisions and border areas and,

to strive in the interest of the people.

Functions

The following functions are laid down to implement the objectives:-

to train the prisoners so as to acquire good moral characters,

to teach the prisoners vocational training, such as industry, handicraft, agriculture and livestock breeding with the intention of making them acquire a profession at the time
of their release to become good citizens,

Year		Event
1989	20th July	According to the State Law and Order Restoration Council, Notification No.4/89 dated 20-7-1989, the Amnesty Order was issued.
1993	1st January	According to the the State Law and Order Restoration Council, Notification No.1/93, dated 1-1-1993, the Amnesty Order was issued.
1995	March	According to the the State Law and Order Restoration Council, Notification No.1/95, the Amnesty Order was issued.
1997	-	According to the the State Law and Order Restoration Council, Notification No. 1/97, the Amnesty Order was issued.
2004	31st, May	Changes are made so that the Prisons Department could become the Correctional Department.

to arrange the homeless and jobless prisoners to have a right of getting own residence and farm as a new life for their living, and

To reform the Prison administrative system in Myanmar is implemented since 1994.
The Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt (Now the Prime Minister) had instructed 11- points to reform the prison administrative system on 7-7-1997. Moreover, Senior General Than Shwe had laid down 9-guidelines on 22-1-1999 to be carried out. According to these guidelines, the reformation of prison administrative system had been carried out by the following constructive task:-

To transform the prisons and camps into Rehabilitation Centre.

by means of uplifting the morality.

by means of refining their skills through training,

by means of supervising through administration and,

by means of assisting in their welfare.

To make sure the out-coming of these transforming tasks, we analized with the following 5 norms and fulfil their needs:-.

morality,

unity,

conscientiousness,

well disciplined and,

fully endowed with 3 capability

To gain these above mentioned , goals and objectives, the inmates are taught vocational trainings such as weaving, sewing , carpentary, masonary, shoe making , knitting, embroidery, cane and bamboo works, mechanical works, electrical works, live stock breeding and farming etc. Furthermore New Life Agricultural Production Camps and Quarry camps are opened with the aim of helping their livelihood after completion of their term.

The Department provides comprehensive training in the most up to date operational and management techinques for staffs including new recruits to acquire the professional competence necessary for their duties. In addition, the inmates are also given vocational trainings, education for the young inmates, freedom of religious rites and counselling them to have sympathy and to become a refined person to join the community after serving their terms.

With an establishment of about 6500 staffs, responsible for the administration of 41 prisons, 2 Rehabilitation Camps, 7 Agricultural Camps, 2 Livestock Breeding Camps, 13 Quarry Camps, 13 Regional Development Camps, which now accommodate about 60000 inmates.There are Training Centres for staffs and 2 main stores to aid the functions of the Department. In the near future, the new set up of the Prisons Department will come into action and the After Care Services will also be introduced.

Grading of prisons.

Grading of prisons are as follows:-.

The Adult Male Inmates

Detained in 41 prisons and camps. In 41 prisons, there are 2 Central prisons, 22 "A" grade prisons, 7 "B"grade, 6 "C" grade and 4 "D" grade prisons. Central and "A" grade prisons are maximun security prisons, "B" grade prisons are medium security prisons and "C"and "D"grade prisons are minimum security prisons. Camps are mostly for State building projects such as Agriculture, Livestock Breeding, Quarry and Regional Development Projects and has the least security measures. The inmates in these camps are kept to live almost to the normal life.

The Young Inmates

Sr. No.	Prison Grade	Staff	Inmates
a	Central Prison (Insein)	403	5000
b	Central Prison (Madalay)	221	3000
c	"A" Grade Prison	102	1000
d	"B" Grade Prison	52	500
e	"C" Grade Prison	33	300
f	"D"Grade Prison	33	200

Female Inmates

Whenever persons under 19 years of age are not committed to a Senior Training School will be committed to a jail. In the case of young offenders under 19 years of age, sentenced to imprisonment for two years and above, nominal rolls of such young offenders shall be forwarded to the Director-General. Young offenders, who have been convicted for a period of less than two years but not less than three months, and who have been classified as habituals, should be transferred to the Insein Central Prison. Young offenders, who have been convicted for a period of less than two years, but not less than three months and who have been classified as casuals, should be transferred to the Meikhtila Prison. Meikhtila Prison is a "B" grade prison which has minimum security. The young inmates who do not fulfil any of the conditions in above mentioned shall be kept in the prison to serve out their sentence and shall be kept altogether separate from adult inmates.

Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation

Detained in 41 prisons, 3 quarry camps and one rehabilitation centre. Female compounds are separate from male compounds with inner walls. The convicted female inmates are deatined in female quarry camps and rehabilitation centres. In the rehabilitation centre (female), those who are drug addicts and prostitutes, are taken medical and health care and rehabilitation measures.

Establishment of New Life Agricultural Camps

The Department administers a compulsory programme for the treatment of convicted drug addicts. Male drug abusers are accommodated at Wet Hti Kan Rehabilitation Centre for drug addicts. They are giving training such as arts and crafts, handicrafts and outdoor training like agriculture and Livestock breeding as treatment and vocational training.

In April 1994, the Head of State Senior General Than Shwe made a 13- days tour in the Kabaw Valley, Sagaing Division, he gave the instructions that there are plenty of arable land which is thinly populated, so he instructed to populated the area with the volunteered settlers. He also instructed reclamation of the land for them. For the convicted inmates, who volunteered to live in that area, Thanyawzin Villages were established. With compassion and goodwill for the inmates, New Life Camps were established with the following aims and objectives:-

to develop the socio-economic life of the prisoner,

to uplift the moral of the prisoner so as to eradicate criminal mentality,

to realize and believe that the prisoner participate in State building,

to assist the State and the people by producing products on the other hand and reclaiming new arable land in respective regions on the other,

to settle the prospective prisoners in a new life during imprisonment and after their release, and

to train the prisoners to become good citizens, eradicating the spirit of committing new offences next time.

Distribution of Net Profit

Jail Industries

a	To distribute among the inmates	50%
b	To provide for their living costs	15%
c	To assist in staff welfare	15%
d	To add the project fund	20%

After Care Service

With the aim of over- coming the monotony of long term imprisonment, striving for the interest of the environment and having vocational training for livelihood after their release, the inmates are taught jail industries such as weaving, sewing, cane and bamboo work, knitting and embroiding, shoe making, mechnical and electrical work, etc.

Staff Training

To introduce after care service, a draft for set up and duties and functions are being drawn.

No.	Type of Training	Trainees in 2003	Trainees in 2004
1	Superintendent Course	21	40
2	Jailor Cadet Course	-	175
3	Police Cadet Officer Course	4	10
4	Sergeant Course(Insein)	-	26
5	Cleark Refresher Course	30	15
6	Detective Course	16	3
7	Traditional Medicine Short Course	-	20
8	Infantry Medical Platoon Course	-	12
9	Recruit Basic Training Course(Insein)	453	103
10	Recruit Basic Training Course(Mandalay)	-	100
11	Recruit(Female) Basic Training Course(Mandalay)	150	-
12	Drill and Explosive Course(Htonbo-2/Moppalin)	20	20
13	Myanmar Martial Art Course	-	30
14	Computer Training Course	59	40
15	Introduction to Internet Course	-	1
16	Basic & Applied Computer Training Course	7	15
17	Corporal Training Course (Insein)	84	28
18	Corporal Training Course (Gyophyu)	-	1
19	Corporal Training Course (Oak-Twin)	-	3
20	Pre-Corporal Training Course (Gyophyu)	-	1
21	Pre-Corporal Training Course (Oak-Twin)	-	3
22	Sergeant Training Course (Gyophyu)	-	1
23	English Speaking Course(MPF)	-	2
24	Europer Level II Course	-	1
25	Europer Level I Course	-	2
26	Officer Special Refresher Course	5	5
27	Regiment / Platoon Ordinent Maintenance Course	-	2
28	Agriculture & Live-stock Breeding Course	90	30
29	Grade I Course	-	4
30	Driving & Servicing Course	-	2
31	Regiment Quarter master R.S.I Course	-	2
32	First Aid Course	38	-
33	Basic Repairing & Driving Course	69	-
34	Agriculture, Live-stock Breeding & Fishery Course	30	-
35	Clerk Refresher Short Course	27	-
36	Basic Mechinary & Driving Course (Myinthar)	16	-
37	Basic Pre-Government Employee Course (Junior) (Phaung Gyi)	8	-
38	Basic Government Employee Course (Junior) (Upper Myanmar)	5	-
39	Basic Government Employee Course (Junior) (Phaung Gyi)	14	-
40	Basic Government Employee Course (Junior) (Phaung Gyi)	8	-
41	Police Officer Special Refresher Course	5	-
42	Medical Care Course	60	-
43	Grade I Course (Auditor General's Office)	3	-
44	Teaching Course (Kanbe)	1	-
45	Speaking Course (Opened by other Department)	4	-

In accordance with the guidance of the State Leaders, as the prison administrative system is reformed to be in line with the international standard, the Department provides comprehesive training in the most up to date operational and management techniques. There are 5 Staff Training Schools and nowadays these schools are extended updated teaching aids are installed, and syllabus and curriculums including health care are added and prescribed. The objectives of the training is for the better health of the staff, to acquire the professional competence necessary of their duties and to manage and supervise the inmates to be in line with the international standard.

Prisons Department has been implementing to improve the Department by recruting new staff systematically, giving necessary training befor assigning the duties, and through their service, attending inter-department and other departmental workshop and training. In these training, health care and vocational training, such as sewing, shoe making, cane and bamboo work are taught. Trainees attended during from 2003 to April 2004 are as follows:-

Set up of Prisons Department ( 1996 to now)

No.	Rank	Strength
1	Director-General	1
2	Deputy Director-General	1
3	Director	9
4	Deputy Director	7
5	Assistant Director	37
6	Staff Officer	104
7	Chief Jailor	138
8	Jailor	566
9	Assistant Jailor ( Grade II )	16
10	Assistant Jailor ( Grade I )	140
11	Sergeant	277
12	Sergeant (Clerk)	59
13	Corporal	807
14	Lance Corporal	1088
15	Private	4765
16	Superintendent of Staff	5
17	Branch Clerk (Cash)	2
18	Branch Clerk (Script writing)	1
19	Branch Clerk	9
20	Upper divisional Clerk	80
21	Lower divisional Clerk	176
22	Technician	63
23	Medical Staff	36
Total		8387

The set up of Prisons Department is as follows:-

Director-Generals of Prisons Department appointed from post -independence

1	U Ba Maung (Tharaysithu)	27-12-1947 to 14-1-1951
2	U Ba Thein (Thiripyanchi)	15-1-1951 to 26-9-1959
3	U Hla Pe (Thiripyanchi)	27-9-1959 to 31-3-1960
4	U Than Nwe (Thiripyanchi)	18-11-1961 to 8-9-1968
5	Lt.Colonel Tun Yin Law	9-9-1968 to 17-9-1968
6	U Nyein Hlaing	18-9-1968 to 29-8-1972
7	Zeya Kyaw Htin U Ba Khin	10-9-1972 to 31-8-1982
8	U Win Lwin	1-9-1982 to 24-2-1985
9	U Tin Oo	15-7-1985 to 10-10-1988
10	U Zaw Min	11-10-1988 to 23-8-1995
11	U Kyaw Tun (Excellence in Administration First Grade )	31-8-1995 to 11-3-2003
12	U Ba Myint	12-3-2003 to 31-8-2004
13	U Zaw Win	1-9-2004 to Now

Guidelines instructed by the State Leaders to reform the prison administrative system

Senior Gieneral Than Shwe visited No.2 New Life Agricultural Production Camp of the Ministry of Home Affairs, on 22-1-1999, during the tour of Yangon and Ayeyarwaddy Division, in January, 1999, he gave the following instructions based on 9 points:-

To ensure the inmates to become good citizen after their release; and to help them escape from lower life by transforming the prisons into Rehabilitation Centres and to get rid of their prisoner complex.

To provide family wings so that the inmates can live with their families, for their health and education, and to open dispensaries and schools that remain useful to the village when the camp is over.

To give five acres, farming implements and investments to them after their release if they decide to settle in the area.

To assist in the production of goods for the country.

To be in touch with the world to arrange newspapers, journels, T.V's and radios for them.

And to allow those inmates to visit to their families during vacation seasons, provide them travelling warrants and part of their savings.

To provide accommodations and jobs if their families want to stay together with the inmates,

To help the neighbouring villages by sharing agricultural methods and to assist to the needy and the elderly.

To add the objective of " Striving in the interest of the people " for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

State Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt, instructed the following points relating the reformation of prison administrative system on 7-7-1997 :-

To supervise the prisons' security systematically and not to leak out the information from inside to outside because of incorrect news produced by destructive elements.

To perform prevention of infectious disease in the prisons, spraying disinfectiants and medical check-up of the inmates in collaboration with the relevant departments.

To ascertain that drainages in the prisons are free of foul smell and impurities.

To provide for clean and favourable living conditions for the inamtes, in a humanitarian spirit.

To keep up with the effort for the development of the inmates' mental and social factors.

To prevent overcrowding, to ensure good ventilation by accommodation of inmates separately.

To oversee systematically their health situation.

To carry out any necessary improvement and reformation.

To treat the inmates with a view to maintaining national solidarity.

To report any necessary amendment in the prison manual .

To adopt certain internationally acceptable and modern practice of prison administration.

Relation with International Organizations

International Committee of the Red Cross ( ICRC)

Amnesty International

UN Special Rapporteurs on Myanmar Human Rights

Humanitarian Dialouge

Delegation of UN Human Rights Commission.

International Labour Organization (ILO)

Contact

Address

The following international organizations have access to prisons and camps:-

Tel;

  Director-General 's Office
  Correctional Department
  Insein Township, Yangon Division
  Myanmar.

Fax;

  095-01-642104 /
  095-01-642105
  095-01-642103

095-01-642845

Director-General

Deputy Director-General

Our institutions

Ayeyarwaddy Division

Bago Division

Chin State

Kachin State

Kayah State

Kayin State

Mandalay Division

Mon State

Magway Division

Sagaing Division

Shan State

Tanintharyi Division

Yangon Division

Yakhaine State

Conclusion

Prisons Department (Myanmar)has now changed into Myanmar Correctional Department, reforming the sectors such as administration, management and training are updated to be in line with the international standard. To implement such a high task, international standard of the prison administration are being studied. Any suggestions and assistance which would help this progressive change will be welcomed.