Alternative Sentencing Bill Ready for Parliament – Bawumia

General news for Saturday, August 29, 2020

Source: Kasapa FM

2020-08-29

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The government will soon present to Parliament a bill for the enactment of alternative sentences that includes probation, probation and community service in the work of the criminal justice system in Ghana, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed.

Speaking at the Graduation and Commissioning Parade for one hundred and fifty official cadets that made up Entrance 27 of the Ghana Prison Service in Accra on Friday, August 28, 2020, Vice President Bawumia said that these alternatives to custodial sentence have a great potential to decongest the country. Prisons and significantly reduce the financial burden in managing our prison system.

“The Prison Administration, in collaboration with other stakeholders, is leading the promotion of an alternative sentencing policy to be introduced in the country.

“Necessary operational adjustments are being made, including human resource capacity to take on additional responsibility,” added Dr. Bawumia.

The graduation ceremony was the culmination of the last of four groups of fifteen hundred (1,500) new entrants to the Service, coming from diverse professional backgrounds ranging from Accounting, Agriculture, Education, Engineering, Medicine and Social Sciences.

The Vice President commended the Service’s management for “continuing to advance its mandate to ensure that opportunities to develop the skills and talents of inmates are available to help them reorganize their lives for the better. The programs cover agriculture, commerce, training in different vocations and formal education for school-age offenders ”.

Dr. Bawumia expressed concern that some members of society are reluctant to accept ex-convicts back into their fold and continue to stigmatize ex-inmates.

“This unfortunate situation creates a disadvantage for ex-convicts and most of the time they are forced to re-offend with dire consequences for society.

“Therefore, I would like to appeal to the general public to see the integration of prisoners as a shared responsibility and offer the necessary support to allow these former prisoners to reintegrate properly and contribute their quota to national development. Anything other than this will render all the efforts of the Penitentiary Service unsuccessful and society will be at risk ”.

The Vice President charged the graduates “to internalize the principles of vigilance, humanity and integrity. These should be your watchwords in your relationship with fellow officers and prisoners.

“Treat inmates with care, respect and decency without compromising your professional ethics. I have no doubt that you will make it. “

He commended all the award winners, especially Petty Officer Amos Benang, who won the Commander’s Award, and Senior Petty Officer Dr. Florence Djoletoe, who was the best academic and best comprehensive cadet officer.