The first report of the inter-institutional task force appointed for the identification of judicial and legal reasons for minimizing congestion in prisons and prison reforms has proposed the use of community based corrections productively instead of imposing imprisonment.
 
The report also recommends fully implementing provisions in Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act No 4 of 1995 enabling the payment of fines as instalments instead of imposing imprisonment for those who fail to pay fines. 

“Until prosecutions are made in High Courts regarding cases which the Magistrate’s Court has no jurisdiction, to continue such cases in Magistrate’s Court and implement a Management Information System for preventing misplacement of files,” it proposed. 

The task force recommends the release of persons retained without prosecuting on a bond and magistrates visit to prisons once a month according to provisions of the act.

The report also recommends utilizing Police Bailing method according to provisions in Bail Act No. 30 of 1997, considering the ability of reducing death penalty to life imprisonment, construction and relocation of prisons as well as creating a suitable and secured environment for detainees and staff of prison.
 
The joint proposal which was made by Minister of Justice Wijayadasa Rajapaksa and Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs D.M. Swaminathan, to present the said report in the parliament, has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.