WORLD FACTBOOK OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS SRI LANKA N.H.A. Karunaratne University of Nevada, Las Vegas This country report is one of many prepared for the World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems under Bureau of Justice Statistics grant No. 90-BJ-CX-0002 to the State University of New York at Albany. The project director was Graeme R. Newman, but responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained in each report is that of the individual author. The contents of these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Bureau of Justice Statistics or the U. S. Department of Justice. GENERAL OVERVIEW 1. Political system. The national legislative body of Sri Lanka is the Parliament, which is a unicameral body, formerly called the National State Assembly or the House of Representatives. As of 1993, the parliament was composed of 225 members who are elected by the Sri Lankan citizens aged 18 years or older. The head of the Republic is the President, who is directly elected by the citizens aged 18 years or older. The term of the President is 6 years. The organization and financing of the justice system is the responsibility of the central government. The Provincial Councils may now maintain regional police departments. The executive branch of the government is composed of the President, the Prime Minister, and the cabinet. The Prime Minister is the head of government and the members of the cabinet are appointed by the President from among the Parliament members. The administrative structure consists of 8 provinces and 25 administrative districts. Each province and district is administered by a Provincial Council and a District Council respectively. The members of these councils are elected. The President appoints a Governor for each province. The judicial branch of government includes the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, the Court of Appeal, the High Court, District Courts, and Magistrate Courts. The highest court of the land is the Supreme Court. Judges are appointed. The Chief Justice and the other justices of the Supreme Court are appointed for life by the President of Sri Lanka. 2. Legal system. The legal system of Sri Lanka is a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch law, Muslim law, and customary laws. The basis of criminal law and procedure is the English common law. After Sri Lanka was colonized by the British Empire, British laws were gradually applied throughout the nation. Sri Lanka has an adversarial system of justice. The Attorney-General is the principal law officer of the state. The District Attorney and state counsels in his department conduct prosecutions. However, the bulk of prosecutions in minor cases are instituted in the Magistrates' Courts by the officer in charge of a police station. 3. History of the criminal justice system. Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon until 1972, is a teardrop shaped tropical island nation in the Indian Ocean lying 29 kilometers off the southeast coast of peninsular India. It has a total land area of 65,610 square kilometers with a total population of 17.4 million as of 1991. Sri Lanka's socio-economic indicators are better than average for developing countries, with an annual population growth rate estimated at 1.3%, a literacy rate of 89%, and an infant mortality rate of 18 per 1,000. Sri Lanka's annual gross domestic product growth rate averaged 5% between 1990-92, and was 5.7% in 1993. Sri Lanka is a former British colony that gained independence from the British in 1948. It is now an independent republic within the commonwealth of nations. Due to the unsatisfactory nature of the existing criminal laws, which led to a state of uncertainty, the Penal Code of Sri Lanka was first enacted in 1883. It was based on the corresponding Indian law. The Criminal Procedure Code of 1898 was established and then replaced by the Administration of Justice Law of 1973. This was later replaced by the Code of Criminal Procedure Act of 1979 and the Judicature Act of 1978 as amended by the Judicature (Amendment) Act of 1979. CRIME 1. Classification of Crimes. The Penal Code embodies categories of offenses, the punishments to which offenders are liable under the Code and general exceptions to criminal liability. *Legal classification. Crimes are divided into two categories: (a) Grave crimes - crimes that are indictable, and (b) Minor offenses - crimes that are non-indictable. There are 21 listed grave crimes. They are (1) abduction, (2) arson and mischief, (3) burglary, (4) cattle and goat theft, (5) grievous hurt, (6) hurt by knife, (7) homicide, (8) attempted homicide, (9) rape, (10) riot, (11) robbery, (12) unnatural offenses, (13) extortion, (14) cheating, misappropriation and criminal breach of trust over Rs.1,000, (15) theft of bicycles, (16) theft of property over Rs.100, (17) theft of praedial produce, (18) counterfeiting currency, (19) offenses against the state, (20) offenses under Offensive Weapons Act, and (21) exchange control offenses. *Age of criminal responsibility. The minimum age of criminal responsibility is 6 years. A child under 6 years of age is considered incapable of possessing mens rea. Those over 6 years but under 12 years are not punished unless they have attained sufficient maturity. It is left to the discretion of the magistrate to decide if a youthful offender is mature enough to stand trial. A "child" who is under the age of 14 and a "young person" who has reached the age of 14 and is under the age of 16 may be charged with any offense other than a scheduled offense, but such cases must be heard by a juvenile court. *Drug offenses. The Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance prohibits the sale and use of certain harmful substances. Drugs which are a crime to sell and use are cannabis, opium, heroin, morphine, hashish, hashish oil, cocaine, L.S.D., and psychotropic substances. 2. Crime Statistics. Crime data reported in this section were obtained from the Police Administrative Report of 1991. The data reported are for the year 1991. The definitions of crimes are based on the Penal Code definitions, as reported or recorded by the police. The phrase "Drug Offense" used in Table 2 is an administrative definition used by the police to record various types of narcotics violations. TABLE 1. Incidents of Serious Crime Recorded/Cleared by the Police - Sri Lanka, 1991 Crime No. of Incidents True Cases Recorded (No. of Cases Cleared) Murder 1561 1556 Attempted Homicide 313 306 Rape 374 362 Arson and Mischief 5621 5600 Burglary 9508 9473 Cattle and Goat Theft 1035 1023 Robbery 3934 3802 Bicycle Theft 1992 1974 Theft of Property over Rs.100/ 11149 11045 Extortion 3392 Not available TABLE 2. Drug Offense Statistics, 1991 No. of No. of No. of No. of Cases Arrests Cases Convictions Detected Prosecuted 12410 12523 12401 10671 *Crime regions. According to police reports, the Colombo region had the highest number of incidents of grave personal crimes (6,099) among all provinces in the year 1991. Colombo's suburbs, Nugegoda and Kelaniya, ranked second and third respectively as the areas that reported the most grave personal crimes. These are the most urbanized and populated areas of Sri Lanka. Colombo is the commerce capital and is also the largest and the most densely populated city of Sri Lanka. VICTIMS 1. Groups most victimized by crime. Victim surveys have not been conducted in Sri Lanka. Therefore police records have to be relied upon for victim data. According to police reports, a total of 49,212 persons became victims of grave crimes in 1991. Of this number, 38,836 were males and 10,376 were females. A breakdown by ethnic origin, age, or region is not available. 2. Victims' assistance agencies. There are a limited number of organized victim assistance programs. The government sponsors a legal aid program for victims of crime and social injustice. There are two privately administered organizations, Sumithrayo and Sahana, that are active in victim assistance. They provide counseling and other services through social workers. 3. Role of victim in prosecution and sentencing. The role of the victim in prosecution and sentencing is limited to providing evidence. 4. Victims' rights legislation. As of yet, there is no victims' rights legislation in Sri Lanka. POLICE 1. Administration. The police force of Sri Lanka is modeled after the British police and is largely centralized. The police department is under the Minister of Defense/Internal Security, a position usually held by the President. The recently enacted 13th Amendment to the Constitution provides for some decentralization by requiring that any officer below the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police shall come under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Council. However, devolution of power to the Provincial Councils is not yet complete. The police department is organized in a militaristic-style hierarchical structure. The department is led by the Inspector General of Police, who commands 3 Senior Deputy Inspectors-General who have 18 Deputy Inspectors-General below them. There are a total of 425 Senior Superintendents/Superintendents/ Assistant Superintendents of Police who oversee police stations within their districts, and report to the Deputy Inspectors-General. Over 2,500 Inspectors/Sub-Inspectors of Police, along with over 4,000 Police Sergeants, are in charge of day to day operations of numerous police stations that are scattered throughout the island. They also command, conduct, or supervise the conduct of field operations. There are about 27,000 police constables who do field work. Duties of police officers range from patrol, detection, investigation, executing warrants, running local jails, traffic control, testifying in court, recordkeeping, maintaining order, service to the community, to providing security to V.I.P.'s and to large community gatherings. There is a Central Investigation Department which is patterned after Scotland Yard. It is a sophisticated detective unit that conducts the most difficult and politically sensitive investigations. There is also a Special Task Force of police commandos who are specially trained to fight terrorists. 2. Resources. *Expenditures. The total money provided in 1991 was 3,360,575,000 Rs., and of this 18,363,459 was not spent. *Number of police. There are 30,588 police officers with a civilian support staff of 2,375. The ethnic and gender background of police officers is not available. 3. Technology. *Availability of police automobiles. No. of vehicles (1991) Heavy trucks 153 Buses 64 Light vans 83 Jeeps 1271 Water bowsers 50 Tow trucks 3 Ambulances 13 Armored carriers 5 Cars 662 Motorcycles 1602 Four-wheelers 2304 *Electronic equipment. The type of equipment available includes: very high frequency nets, high frequency communication networks, high frequency message traffic, wireless telegraph, and electrical generators. Computer-aided dispatch is in the process of being established. *Weapons. General police have batons, tear gas, special batons, wicker shields, rubber bullets, and shotguns available to them. The type of weapon an officer carries, other than a baton, may depend on the task to which they are assigned and their locality. Members of the Special Task Force (STF) for the Prevention of Terrorist Activities have more sophisticated weapons available to them. They also wear bulletproof vests. 4. Training and Qualifications. Standard of Education No. of Officers in Service (1991) University degree and above 82 Above G.C.E. (Advanced Level) 3,406 G.C.E. (Ordinary Level) 23,665 Below G.C.E. (Ordinary Level) 3,435 Most of the training is undertaken by the Sri Lanka Police College. (Courses offered for general training include: General Police Work, Promotion Course, Heavy Truck Driving Course, Motorcycle Riding Test, Driving Test, Heavy Truck Driving Test, Confirmation of Service Driving Test, IG's Traffic Course, I.C.T. Courses 1-5, Trainers Training Course.) The probation period of a recruit is considered to be a continuation of the process of training. The examination which they are required to sit for prior to confirmation establishes whether or not they are fit to be confirmed for appointment. The Police Higher Training Institute conducts Management and Promotion Training Courses for Officers from the rank of Sub-Inspector up to that of Superintendent of Police. (Courses offered before promotion include: Inspectors Promotion Course, Workshop on Effective Communication, Workshop on Disciplinary Procedure, Training Program for Newly Recruited Authorized Officers of the Department of Immigration and Emigration, Training Session on Supervisory Management, Mini Detective Course, Industrial Security Course, Workshop on Time Management, I.G.'s Traffic Course, Workshop on Executive Leadership, Workshop on Executive Decision Making, Workshop on Counseling of Subordinates, Prosecutors Course, A Panel Discussion on Inspection & Review, Communication for Managerial Effectiveness, Training Program for Students of University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Seminar on Employee Motivation, Seminar on Office Administration, Workshop on Preparation of Multiple Choice Questions.) There is also training available from other institutions locally and from institutions abroad. (The training and seminars available at other institutions locally are: Diploma Program in Computer System Design, Workshop on Video Program, Seminar on Cooperative Criminal Justice, Seminar on Disciplinary Procedure, Course in shipping and clearance, Computer Training Course, Workshop on International Humanitarian Law, CICC/JIT Joint Training Program, Seminar on Executive Leadership, Executive Development for Junior Managers, Criminal Law Litigation Series Program, Seminar on the Securities and the Stock Market, Design and Development of Computer System Certificate Course, Seminar on SAARC Problems and Prospects, Training of Trainers in Drug Law Enforcement, Seminar on Continuing Legal Education Program, National Law Conference and SAARC Law Conference, Certificate Course in Computer Application, Scientific Sessions, Trainers Training Course, Workshop on Leadership Skills, Management by Objectives, Admission to Diploma Programming Computer, Seminar on Disciplinary Procedure, Workshop on Discipline and Disciplinary Procedure, Managerial Skills for Front Line Managers, Training Program for Quality Circle Facilitators, Seminar on Termination of Contracts Related to Construction, Short Training Course in Estimating Building and Contract Guarantees, Seminar on Executive Leadership, Workshop on Communication Skills, Course on Human Resources Management, Workshop on Selection & Recruitment, Lotus 1-2-3, Seminar on Effective Human Resources Management, Vision Quest by Total Participation & Dynamic Behavior to Motivate People. The training courses and seminars offered abroad are listed by country. Japan offers: Seminar on Crime Prevention, JICA Colombo Plan Group Training Course-Criminal Investigation, JICA Colombo Plan Group Training Course (Seminar on Control of Narcotics Offenses). The United Kingdom (UK) offers: UK Technical Cooperation Training Program (Overseas Command Course), Vigilant Communication UK Training, Ninth Symposium on Economic Crime, UK Technical Cooperation Training Program (Overseas Command Course). France offers the Seventh Symposium on International Terrorism as well as the Seminar on Criminal Investigation in conjunction with the UK. India offers the International Conference on Traffic Safety. Sweden offers the Advanced International Education Program Traffic Safety. The Philippines offers a Senior Course on Transport Technology.) 5. Discretion. *Use of force. Generally, the police carry only a baton on their person. They are permitted to use deadly force if their lives are threatened. *Stop/apprehend a suspect. A police officer may, with or without a warrant, arrest any person. An arrest without a warrant is permissible in cases of directly witnessed or grave offenses. The majority of arrests are made without warrants. A person arrested has to be produced before a magistrate without unnecessary delay, within 24 hours in case of arrest without a warrant, or be released on bail. An arrested person may be detained in custody by order of a magistrate, pending investigation, for 15 days. If proceedings are not instituted against an arrested person at the end of this period, a magistrate may either discharge the arrestee or require the arrestee to execute a bond to appear. However, these rules have been suspended under the Emergency Regulations. A person arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act or for violation of Emergency Regulations may be held in detention indefinitely. *Decision to arrest. Arrested suspects are generally processed further in the criminal justice system. Usually, the decision whether or not to process the suspect further depends on the existence of a criminal record for the suspect. If no such record exists, the suspect may only be cautioned. *Search and seizure. Police must obtain a search warrant from a magistrate by showing probable cause before property can be seized. Illegal possessions can be seized without a warrant. However, the police prefer to obtain a warrant prior to seizure of property. *Confessions. A confession is not valid if it is given to a police officer, and is not admissible into evidence in a court of law. Voluntary judicial confessions are admissible. 6. Accountability. Complaints against the police are handled by the senior officials of the police department. The departmental regulations provide procedures for disciplining police officers. There were 405 complaints filed in 1991 and 22 were resolved. PROSECUTORIAL AND JUDICIAL PROCESS 1. Rights of the accused. *Rights of the accused at trial. In Sri Lanka the doctrine "innocent until proven guilty" prevails. The accused has the right to notification of the charges, the right to answer to the charges, the right to present witnesses, the right to confront and cross- examine opposing witnesses, and the right to legal representation. The accused also has the right to a trial by jury in cases involving indictable grave offenses. The accused person may plead guilty to a lesser offense. Offenses that are not serious in nature, specified in the Code of Criminal Procedure, may be resolved between the persons concerned. The consent of a magistrate is required if the proceedings have already begun in a court of law. *Assistance to the accused. Anyone who is unable or unwilling to hire a lawyer on his behalf is provided with legal service free of charge. 2. Procedures. *Preparatory procedures for bringing a suspect to trial. Police investigate crimes and arrest suspects. The Attorney-General is the principal law officer of the state. Indictments are required for grave offenses which are to be tried only by the High Court. Indictments are presented by the District Attorney in the name of the Attorney-General. *Official who conducts the prosecution. The District Attorney conducts the prosecution. However, the bulk of prosecutions of other than very serious crimes are instituted in the Magistrates' Court by the officer in charge of a police station. On occasion the police are assisted by state counsels. Generally, prosecution is inevitable if sufficient evidence is available to substantiate a charge. Very little discretion is exercisable at the police level. The Attorney-General or the District Attorney may decide not to prosecute for substantial reasons, but that power is rarely exercised. *Alternatives to trial. The alternatives to trial include negotiated settlements between the concerned parties, dispute resolution, plea bargaining, and medical or some other kind of supervised treatment. As stated earlier, minor offenses may be resolved between the persons concerned. If the proceedings have already been instituted in a court, the consent of the magistrate is required. A judge of the Primary Court summons the accused and aggrieved persons to appear before him to ascertain if there are acceptable bases for settling the underlying dispute amicably. A resolution by such means has the effect of an acquittal. *Proportion of prosecuted cases going to trial. No information available. *Pre-trial incarceration conditions. If the suspect has a previous record, incarceration before or awaiting trial is allowed. *Bail procedure. The officer in charge of the police station that arrested the suspect may grant bail upon receiving a personal bond and after getting the agreement of the guarantor in whose care the suspect will be released. This may be done in lieu of producing a suspect before a magistrate, usually within 24 hours, as required by the law. Bail may also be granted by a Magistrate upon receiving a personal bond, a second party bond through a guarantor, and if in doubt a magistrate may ask for a cash security. If proceedings are not instituted against a suspect within 15 days of arrest, a Magistrate may either discharge the suspect or require the suspect to execute a bond to appear. *Proportion of pre-trial offenders incarcerated. In 1991, 63,145 pre-trial offenders were incarcerated. JUDICIAL SYSTEM 1. Administration. The hierarchy of the judicial system is as follows: The Supreme Court of the Republic of Sri Lanka The Court of Appeal of the Republic of Sri Lanka The High Court of the Republic of Sri Lanka District Courts - (23 total) Combined Courts (civil and criminal) - (25 total) Magistrates' Courts - (52 total) Primary Courts - (21 total) The criminal courts of first instance are the Primary Courts, Magistrates' Courts, Combined Courts, and the High Court. Cases may be appealed to the Court of Appeal and further review may be sought in the Supreme Court. The High Court is the court of first instance for all prosecutions initiated with an indictment. The court of second instance is the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court exercises final appellate jurisdiction as well as special jurisdiction for alleged violations of fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. 2. Judges. *Number of judges. The Supreme Court consists of 11 justices including the Chief Justice. *Appointment and qualifications. The justices of the Supreme Court and the judges of the Appeal and High Courts are appointed by the President. The judges of the lower courts are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission. The Commission is the judiciary administrative body which is composed of three Supreme Court Justices headed by the Chief Justice. The Judicial Service Commission ranks judges into classes and grades: Special Class; Class I, Grade I; Class II, Grade I; Class III, Grade I; Class II, Grade II. Usually, judges in the top two categories serve in the District Courts, Class II Grade I judges in the Magistrates' Courts, and Class III Grade I judges in the Primary Courts. However, there is no specific rule for assigning judges to various courts. Depending on qualifica- tions, a lawyer who has joined the judicial ranks recently may serve in a District Court. The Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the Court of Appeal are appointed by the President of the Republic. The judges of the lower courts are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission which is an independent body. (This is a list of the complete eligibility requirements to become a judge. Eligibility: (1) A person shall be eligible for appointment as an Officer in Class II Grade II if he/she is an Attorney-at-Law who -- (a) has or had been in active practice for not less than 3 years; (b) has served in a legal capacity in any Ministry, government department, or a state corporation for not less than 4 years; (c) has served in a legal capacity in any legal firm, bank or any recognized mercantile establishment for not less than 4 years and has regularly appeared before courts during such period; (d) has served as a Registrar of the High Court of Sri Lanka for not less than 4 years. (2) A person shall be eligible for appointment as an Officer in Class II Grade I if he/she is -- (a) an Officer in Class II Grade II whose period of service in that capacity and any period in active practice as an attorney-at-law is not less than 5 years in the aggregate; (b) an Officer in Class II Grade II whose period of service in that capacity is not less than 2 years; (c) an attorney-at-law who has served as a President, Labor Tribunal for not less than 2 years; (d) an attorney-at-law who has been in active practice for not less than five years; (e) an attorney-at-law who has served in a legal capacity in any Ministry, government department, or a state corporation for not less than 6 years; or (f) an attorney-at-law who has served in a legal capacity in any legal firm, bank, or any recognized mercantile establishment for not less than 6 years and has regularly appeared before courts during such period. (3) A person shall be eligible for appointment as an Officer in Class I Grade II if he/she is - (a) an Officer in Class II Grade I; (b) an attorney-at-law who has served as a President, Labor Tribunal, for not less than 6 years; or (c) an attorney-at-law who has been in active practice for not less than 10 years. (4) A person shall be eligible for appointment as an Officer in Class I Grade I if he/she is -- (a) an Officer in Class I Grade II; or (b) an attorney-at-law who has been in active practice for not less than 15 years. (5) A person shall be eligible for appointment as an Officer in Special Class if he/she is an Officer in Class I Grade I. (6) A person shall be eligible for appointment as President, Labor Tribunal, Grade I if he/she is -- (a) an Officer in Class I Grade II of the judicial service; (b) a President, Labor Tribunal, Grade II with not less than 10 years of service; or (c) an attorney-at-law who has been in active practice for not less than 15 years.) 3. Special Courts. There is one Juvenile Court at Bambalapitiya in Colombo. 4. Procedures. The majority of criminal cases are resolved through trial, summary sentencing, guilty pleas, and acquittal. PENALTIES AND SENTENCING 1. Sentencing process. *Who determines the sentence? The trial judge may impose any sentence or other penalty prescribed by written law. *Is there a special sentencing hearing? A special sentencing hearing is held before a sentence is imposed. *Which persons have input into the sentencing process? The prosecutor, defense attorney, offender, victim, jury, psychiatrists and other professionals, social workers including probation officers, and religious persons may have input into the sentencing process. 2. Types of Penalties. The following penalties are generally used: (a) fines (b) imprisonment (c) probation (d) capital punishment (e) suspended sentence (f) community service (g) institutional treatment. Disenfranchisement is used occasionally for offenses committed while holding public office. Corporal punishment, public punishment, banishment and exile are not used or available under the law. *Death penalty. The death penalty was reintroduced in 1960 after the assassination of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka; it is carried out by hanging. The death penalty is rarely imposed and there have been no executions in the last 5 years. PRISONS 1. Description. *Number of prisons and type. Types of Prisons Number Closed Prisons for Convicted Prisoners 3 Remand Prisons for Offenders Awaiting Trial 14 Work Camps 5 Open Prison Camps 2 Training Schools 1 Correctional Centers for Youthful Offenders 2 Work Release Centers 1 Lock-Ups 27 *Number of prison beds. See Accommodation table. *Average daily/number of prisoners. See Accommodation table. Accommodation - 1991 Authorized Daily Average Percentage Accommodation Population Overcrowding Convicted 5,298 3,558 - Unconvicted 1,009 5,443 439.4 Total 6,307 9,009 42.7 Source: Prison Statistics of Sri Lanka, Vol.II, 1992. *Number of annual admissions. (Direct Admissions) 1990-91 1990 1991 Unconvicted 57,095 63,145 Convicted 14,128 19,019 Total 71,225 82,164 Source: Prison Statistics of Sri Lanka, Vol.II, 1992. *Actual or estimated proportion of inmates incarcerated. No information obtained. 2. Administration. *Administration. All prisons are under the jurisdiction of the central government,and are administered by the Department of Prisons. The Commissioner of Prisons, who is appointed by the Minister of Justice, is the chief administrator. *Prison guards. The number of prison guards in 1991 was 3,713. *Training and qualifications. No information obtained. *Expenditure on the prison system (in Rupees). 1990 1991 Recurrent Expenditure 281,614,093 312,888,783 Capital Expenditure 19,944,292 22,424,911 Total Expenditure 301,558,385 335,313,694 Average cost per prisoner per day 68 95 *Number of prisoners awaiting trial. In 1991 there were 63,145 prisoners awaiting trial. 3. Prison Conditions. *Remissions. Remission of sentences is available through executive clemency, parole, and good time credit earned for good behavior. *Work/education. Inmates are taught trades. There are educational and vocational programs. They can attend classes taught in the prisons to further their education. *Amenities/privileges. Inmates participate in plays and other entertainment programs. These include Christmas and Vesak carols and various community activities. Also, inmates enjoy visitation rights except under very exceptional cases. Medical assistance is provided for prisoners. Prisoners may be released on a work release scheme, a license scheme (parole), and a home leave scheme. EXTRADITION AND TREATIES *Extradition. No information obtained. *Exchange of prisoners. No information obtained. *Specified conditions. No information obtained. SOURCES Asiaweek, "Some Economic and Social Indicators for Sri Lanka Neighbors," June, 1993. Code of Criminal Procedure Act of 1979, Colombo: Government Printing Office. Department of Census and Statistics, "Census of Public and Corporation Sector Employment," Colombo: 1992. Dharmadasa, H.G., "Overcrowding in Prisons and Countermeasures." A paper presented at the 81st International Seminar of UNAFEI, 1989, at UNAFEI, Tokyo Japan. Financial Times, "Survey of Sri Lanka," October 27, 1993. Jansz, C.T., "Sri Lanka Prisoners." A paper presented at the Sri Lanka - UNAFEI Joint Seminar on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, 1987, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Judicature Act of 1978, Colombo: Government Printing Office. Judicature (Amendment) Act of 1979, Colombo: Government Printing Office. Karunaratne, N.H.A., "Dispositional Decisions in the Criminal Justice Process in Sri Lanka," UNAFEI Resource Material Series, No.16, pp. 234-241, Tokyo, Japan: UNAFEI (1978). Law and Society Trust, personal communication of unpublished research data dated October 13, 1993, Kynsey Terrace, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. Police Administrative Report, 1991. Colombo: Sri Lanka Police Department (1992). Prison Statistics of Sri Lanka, Vol.II 1992, Colombo: Department of Prisons. Tanaka, Toshihiko, "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: Profile of the Criminal Justice System and Its Administration," Delineation of Crucial Issues of Criminal Justice in Asia, A/CONF.121/UNAFEI, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan: UNAFEI (1985). The Associated Press, "Facts and Figures About Sri Lanka," Washington, D.C.: April 30, 1994. The World Fact Book, 1991, Washington, D.C.: CIA (1992). N.H.A. Karunaratne Department of Criminal Justice University of Nevada, Las Vegas 4505 Maryland Parkway Las Vegas, NV 89154 Tel: 702-895-0236 Fax: 702-895-4288