Prisons need support to improve wellbeing of inmates

 Some people deserve to be in prison because of the crimes they committed, while others ended up there due to no fault of their own.

Regardless of the cause, prison­ers endure the same conditions in jail, whether they are favourable or unfavourable.

Unlike the Netherlands which has seen a significant decrease in crime and prison population, leading to prisons being virtually empty, Ghana’s high crime rate makes the situation very different.

According to a number of re­ports, the jail environment is unpleasant, overcrowded, and many inmates sleep on the bare floor and sometimes sleep in shifts due to space constraints.

The issue is made worse by things like inadequate medical treatment, poor ventilation, poor feeding, and poor sanitation.

The low daily meal charge of GH¢1.80 per prisoner in Ghana has drawn criticism for a number of reasons, and calls have been made to raise it.

This is disturbing because crime is increasing in Ghana, particularly among the country’s future leaders, the youth population.

Since the number of inmates has increased to 14, 097 compared to the country’s capacity of 9,945, the prison system does in fact need reform and assistance.

The Spectator wholeheartedly concurs with Rev. Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Catholic Bishop Conference, who has urged the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) administration, particularly prison wardens, to be kind and loving to prisoners.

He said inmates should be treat­ed with some human dignity rather than mistreated because “a jail sentence should be viewed as a tool for reform rather than as a kind of punishment.”

Ensuring the secure custody, wel­fare, reformation, and rehabilita­tion of prisoners is a constitutional obligation for the GPS.

The Prison Agriculture Project, which aims to alleviate the feeding challenges in Ghana’s prisons, is a commendable endeavour.

In order to improve their welfare and rehabilitation, the majority of inmates have participated in educa­tional programmes and skill-build­ing training under the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP). Some of them have even enrolled in tertiary insti­tutions.

However, the government must step up its efforts to ensure that inmates are well-maintained.

To help former inmates reinte­grate into society and lead better lives, more work needs to be done to make sure they are prepared when they are released from jail.

A variety of organisations, in­cluding religious bodies, NGOs, and philanthropists, have been provid­ing food, clothing, and toiletries to show their affection for prison inmates.

In an effort to reduce the number of inmates in the nation’s prisons, the Spectator completely agrees with the president of the Catholic Bishop Conference that those who commit minor offens­es need to be forced to perform community service rather than go to jail.

In fact, actions must be taken to enhance prison conditions in order to protect prisoners’ dignity and advance their welfare.