A smile and a kind ear

From that tender age when memories first begin to take shape, Jiji Mary, 35, had a deep connection with the story of Veronica, the woman who, moved by seeing Jesus carrying the cross, gave him her veil to wipe his forehead. Little did Jiji know that, when she grew up, she would become a Veronica-like figure, empathetically listening to and changing the perspectives of many convicted humans.

From that tender age when memories first begin to take shape, Jiji Mary, 35, had a deep connection with the story of Veronica, the woman who, moved by seeing Jesus carrying the cross, gave him her veil to wipe his forehead. Little did Jiji know that, when she grew up, she would become a Veronica-like figure, empathetically listening to and changing the perspectives of many convicted humans.

Rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society are crucial but often overlooked aspects of the Indian criminal justice system. On September 15, 2017, the Supreme Court directed all state governments to appoint counsellors to assist prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. A major reason for the order was the increasing number of unnatural deaths and suicides in jails. However, according to prison statistics in 2021, twelve states/Union territories had no sanctioned posts for correctional officers. The ones that did were not much better off. The Kerala government, for instance, employs a few social workers, such as Jiji, on low-paying contracts to provide counselling and even perform primary psychiatric evaluations in prisons.