GTV Talking Point discusses measures to reduce number of convicts sent to prison 

The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, ASP Courage Atsem says even though government is putting in place measures to decongest the country's prisons, alternative forms of punishment must be adopted to help reduce the number of convicts sent to prison. 

He said due to unemployment, some people especially the youth engage in all manner of criminal activities and end up in prison. 

ASP Atsem was speaking on GTV's Current Affairs Programme, ‘Talking Point’. 

He said about 13,505 convicts and remand prisoners are currently living under deplorable situation because of congestion. 

ASP Atsem noted that the Justice for all Programmes and the building of a remand unit are some of the measures government is putting in place to solve the congestion problem but added that the Judicial System must find other means to punish certain offences instead of convicting people to go to prison. 

The Country Director of Amnesty International, Lawrence Amesu, said death sentence also contributes to the bad situation in the various prisons. 

He said about 138 convicts are on death row waiting to die. 

Mr Amesu said this tarnishes the image of Ghana as a country that upholds human rights. 

He said people on death row are often frustrated but they can be reformed to live a meaningful life. 

A legal Investigator at CHRAJ, Joseph Wittah for his part said the number of  legal aid to the poor in society is inadequate hence people who cannot afford the services of a good legal aid easily ends up in prison. 

He called for the extension of the Justice for All Programme to cover all the ten regions for justice to be dispensed on time in order to reduce the number of remand prisoners in the country's prisons. 

GBC