Rajasthan is pioneer in the concept of open air camps. Open Air Camps for prisoners is a novel step taken by the state government in the process of social readjustment of the prisoners. The eligible convicted prisoners are sent to open air camps with objective of making them learn self-dependence by lawful means of livelihood and social interaction. There are twenty three open air camps in the state with sanctioned capacity of 1427 prisoners. Prisoners are transferred to the camps as per provisions of the Rajasthan Prisoners Open Air Camp Rules, 1972.

Women prisoner are also allowed to live with their family in the open air camps. These half way houses has changed the scenerio of prison discipline as prisoner become more rule abiding, relaxed as living with family is the greatest temptation for an prisoner. These open camps can be considered as useful 'missing links' of correctional process, and in fact, serve the purpose of 'half way homes' or 'transit homes' between the closed institutionalized treatment and the free society.

(Click here to view list of Open Air Camps)

In the open camps, it is mandatory for the convict to live with his family because living with the family is a big moderation in itself. Family's presence avoids many unwanted distractions that a person may otherwise indulge in. The prisoners have to attend a roll call each morning and evening at fixed time.

Convict who have served one third of their sentence including remission subject to good conduct and few expectations become eligible to be shifted to wall less prisons.

All prisoners in these ‘wallless prisons’ in Rajasthan are provided with suitable jobs so that they can shoulder the family responsibilities well. The earnings of the prisoner and his family are allowed to be retained by him and the state does not provide or subsidize his living in any way. Thus the prisoners in the 'wallless prisons' are no liability on the state exchequer rather money spent on prisoners while in walled prison is saved.

For the internal management of the camp there are ‘Prisoners Panchayat’, works and discipline committee and prisoners cooperative societies.

The Prisoners' Panchayat is empowered to deal with minor acts of commission and omission of prisoners. The works and discipline committee prepares work programmes and ensures that code of conduct is not violated. Cooperative society is formed in each camp for the purpose of supply and service of daily needs, in the camp.