Overhauling the prison system
Ihave to say out rightly that any reforms whether to the prison system or the criminal justice system would be fruitless unless viewed and implemented holistically with all stakeholders actively involved. For example, a mere bill passed in the Senate would be ineffectual if there are no systematic changes in the Police Force. I believe an institutional priority is the progressive review of all criminal legislations in line with constitutional and international (human rights) standards. The Prison Act of 1972 is outdated and has no provision for effective administrations of prisons and protection of human rights. We ought to overhaul the Act or create a new one entirely. It is also imperative that we allocate a bigger fraction of the annual budget for the maintenance of the court systems as well as the operating costs for prisons. Funding is the root of many issues and indeed Police agencies as well as the courts and prisons could benefit from more funding from the government. For example, a Prison Equipment Fund could be created in order to ensure that not only basic amenities and health care kits are available but adequate and serviceable vehicles are made available in good condition ready to transport inmates to courts. It is on record that quite a number of inmates miss court appearance simply because there are no vehicles to take them to court on the due date! Justice delayed is justice denied! This lacuna is for no fault of the inmates. Yet no one appear to care. How sad?
The Nigerian Prison System should also perhaps not be under the supervision of the board overseeing immigration and customs. What is more favourable is a separate Prisons Board where resolutions on various issues can be quickly reached. Another reason for overcrowded prisons is the lack of investigative approach to crime from our Police Force. They often to resort to rounding up “suspects”, throwing them in jail and then trying to extract information from them. The numerous drawbacks with that method need not to be mentioned. A way to speed up the court process is to mimic the recent law in Namibia which states that “arrested persons must be sentenced within three to six months of arrest, otherwise freed to go home.” Initiatives like this need a concerted effort from all arms of the justice system.
The crucial issue of transforming the prison system would take a cohesive effort, one that aims to alleviate some of our fundamental societal problems in Nigeria. Today, there are cases of inmates incarcerated for up to 15 years awaiting trial and there is hardly a national outcry. Ironically these issues affect not only the prisoners but the general public. Prisons should be half-way correctional and halfway rehabilitation homes, where inmates stand a chance at being reformed and reintegrated into society as better persons. Our prisons have become punitive and indeed human rights abuse centres. Is society better off when prisoners come out more dangerous menacing to the general public? Criminal Justice reforms need to come from the top, and unfortunately I have doubts the political elite will want to embark on such change, after all they are direct benefactors of the systems weaknesses.
Finally and indeed more importantly there is a need to massively expand the prisons. We have grown as a nation, our population has expanded over the years from less than 100 million to now approaching 190 million. Crimes have also expanded in scope, form and texture. Crimes such as internet crime, credit card theft, electoral crimes, and many more were unheard of years back. Now we have several offenders in this category. The idea is even if the justice system is to be enhanced and transports provided to take inmates to courts as and when the need arise, the size and capacity of the prisons is at stretch now. Government may want to consider requesting corporation and or companies wishing to give to the society to come to the aid of the prisons just as they help the Nigerian police.
I Awwal, Abuja