A gathering of players in the criminal justice system was yesterday told that seven out of 10 inmates in the country are petty offenders, and are congesting prisons.
More worrying, however, are the thousands of pre-trial detainees and petty offenders languishing in the congested jails holding hardcore criminals, creating the possibility of some of them walking out of prison worse off.
Data from the Prisons Department shows the total inmate population stood at 54,154 as at last month, meaning the prisons are holding more than double the prisons’ capacity of 26,757.
Of the number, 32,266 were convicts while 21,888 were remandees awaiting the conclusion of their cases. An additional 312 were children below four years.
The Judiciary should take greater responsibility because it has disregarded constitutional provisions and other laws that provide for among other things alternative sentences.
Judges, magistrates and prosecutors should also go to jails and work with prison authorities to hear and conclude petty cases.
The use of mobile courts within prisons, can also dramatically reduce delays in trials and deal with the issue of transportation of prisoners to court for their trials.
The Judiciary also needs to use bail and fines more rather than remand as a default option.
Using alternatives to imprisonment such as community service will also help decongest our prisons.
