The next punishment in the order is imprisonment for life. Though, laymen believe that a life imprisonment is for fourteen years, it is not so. A life imprisonment is for life.
But, generally depending upon the good behaviour and taking into account other factors such as the age of the offender, the offence for which he is sentenced etc., and the government may release the offender after serving a sentence of fourteen years. [For more clarification see Gopal Vinayak Godes vs. State of Maharashtra, AIR 1961 SC 600],
As far as other kinds of imprisonments are concerned, one is rigorous imprisonment and the other is simple imprisonment. Rigourous imprisonment is imprisonment with hard labour.
Simple imprisonment is without hard labour. The prisons which started as detention halls for the undertrials to a wait for their trial, transformed into dark dungeons and human warehouses in later years. The prisons continued to be so till 20th century.
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But, with the efforts of John Howard, Elizabeth Fry etc., reformative attitude seeped into the prison administration. In India, in 1919 a Jail Committee was appointed, which made certain recommendations in the administration of jails. Jail education, jail labour, vocational training in jails were introduced.
When compared to the olden days things became better. But, still a lot of reforms are needed in Indian Prisons. The reformation went to the extent of establishing open prisons all over India, of which two are in Andhra Pradesh [one is at Moulali and the other at Anantapur],
After understanding the philosophy of punishment and awarding of sentences, it is now time to evaluate the framing of the Charges.