The Government is moving to toughen the legal framework for repeat offenders while exploring house arrest for certain prisoners, as part of a broader judicial reform programme aimed at reducing prison overcrowding and improving the efficiency of the justice system.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to amend the Community-Based Corrections Act, No. 46 of 1999, to enable more effective enforcement against individuals who repeatedly commit offences.
The decision follows Cabinet approval granted on 7 April 2025 to amend the relevant provisions of the Act. The draft Community-Based Corrections (Amendment) Bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman has since received clearance from the Attorney General.
Accordingly, the Cabinet has approved a proposal submitted by Justice Minister Attorney Harshana Nanayakkara to publish the Bill in the Government Gazette and subsequently present it to Parliament for approval.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Spokesperson Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday (1) that legal reforms were also being pursued to allow certain individuals to serve sentences under house arrest instead of imprisonment.
He said several reforms were currently being discussed and legislation was being drafted to address prison overcrowding, expedite reports from the Government Analyst’s (GA) Department, facilitate bail for those unable to secure bail and introduce house arrest as an alternative to imprisonment in appropriate cases.
“The proposal to increase the retirement age of judges is also being considered within this broader framework of judicial reforms,” he added.
Justice Minister Nanayakkara, meanwhile, stressed that the Government would show no leniency towards those involved in selling narcotics.
Speaking at Mahara Prison yesterday during a discussion on a joint mechanism to respond rapidly to emergencies in prisons, he said the Government was making drug seizures that had not been carried out under previous administrations.
However, Nanayakkara stressed that not every person in prison should be considered a criminal, noting that some inmates had been imprisoned for offences committed on a single occasion and should be given an opportunity for a second chance.
He also said delays in issuing forensic reports had been a serious problem but that measures had now been taken to address the backlog. Recruitment to the GA’s Department had been completed, while officials were working until around 10 p.m. to expedite pending reports.
A total of 9,081 forensic reports were issued in August, he said, adding that the Government expects to clear all outstanding reports within the next two months.
Nanayakkara said joint mechanisms had now been established at 15 prisons to identify potential problems before they escalate, coordinate rapid responses during emergencies and improve inmate welfare.
Meeting remand prisoners at Mahara, he said 500 forensic reports relating to the prison had been issued last month and urged inmates to avoid returning to drug-related offences after their release and become productive members of society.