Jonathan Osei Owusu has called for expedited action on the Community Service Bill, a bill that seeks to address the ongoing issue of overcrowding in prisons.
Owusu highlighted the persistent issue of congestion in the prison system despite improvements over the years.
“The remand population has moved from 33% during the Justice for All Programme in 2007 to 10.8% this year” he noted.
“Yes, we still have congestion in our prisons. Meaning the congestion steadily have not dropped.”
Owusu, a leading advocate for non-custodial sentencing regimes, emphasized that the Community Service Bill represents a crucial component of this reform.
He revealed that the draft bill, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, has been forwarded to the cabinet.
“We are praying and calling on the Minister, it is their baby, that the Minister of Interior and Attorney General should expedite action at the cabinet level so that the bill can be put before parliament,” Owusu urged.
The proposed bill seeks to offer those arrested for minor offences the opportunity to perform community service rather than face incarceration.
This shift, Owusu argues, would not only alleviate the burden on the prison system but also reduce government costs associated with maintaining facilities. “So that those who have been arrested for misdemeanors, minor offences can be given alternatives to incarceration, do some community service, sweep and etcetera, so it can save government cost and bring us some relief and reform,” he said.
While acknowledging the progress made through the Justice for All Programme, Owusu stressed the need for prompt legislative action to further decongest the prisons and facilitate meaningful reform.
By Ruth Sekyi
