Vizag Central Prison Hosts National Training on Correctional Leadership

 Visakhapatnam: The three-day training programme on “Leadership in Prison Administration,” sponsored by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), concluded at the Central Prison, Visakhapatnam, on Friday.

The final day began with a recap of the previous sessions by course coordinator and Vizag Central Prison superintendent M. Mahesh Babu, followed by an academic lecture on “Leadership in Prison Reforms” by Rucha Mishrikotkar, assistant professor of Nyaya Vidya Parishad Law College. Her session highlighted reformation-centric leadership, management of vulnerable prisoner groups, human rights compliance, rehabilitation strategies, and institutional practices aimed at reducing recidivism.

Thereafter, participants engaged in a practical exercise simulating leadership’s response during an imminent prison riot. Divided into groups, they developed action plans addressing intelligence assessment, staff mobilisation, negotiation strategies, communication protocols, and post-incident stabilisation.

In the afternoon, these groups presented their strategies through detailed PowerPoint presentations, covering early warning indicators, emergency response protocols, chain of command, crowd control, negotiations, protection of vulnerable inmates, media handling, and institutional learning.

AP Prisons and Correctional Services inspector general (IG) Dr. I. Sreenivasa Rao presided over the valediction ceremony and distributed certificates to the participants. In his address, the IG highlighted the need for emotional resilience, lawful authority, and reformative orientation in prison leadership, particularly during volatile situations, such as riots. He commended the organising team for successfully conducting the programme from February 25 to Friday, February 27.

The training programme that started on Wednesday combined classroom instruction, practical exercises, and field exposure. Core themes included leadership theories, emotional intelligence, team building, conflict management, prison reforms, and crisis leadership. On the second day, participants visited the Glass Bridge, Submarine Museum, and Aircraft and Helicopter Museums as part of their field exposure.

A total of 20 officers from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Meghalaya took part in the programme.