10 Ways to Improve Nigeria Prisons

Ways to Improve Nigeria Prisons – In 2019, the Federal Government renamed the Nigeria Prison Service Nigerian Correctional Service. Despite the name change, the Nigeria prison service needs improvement. This article suggests ten ways to improve Nigeria Prisons. They include; Information Guide Nigeria

• Reformation
• International standards
• Awaiting trial custody
• Inmates’ educational training
• Staff training and retraining
• Renovation
• Corruption check
• Correctional Service Commission
• Adequate funding
• Compartmentalization

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Nigerian Prisons Improvement

1. Reformation

What Nigerian Prisons need today is complete reformation. The whole Correctional Service system needs a total overhaul. So many things are wrong with the system.

The idea with which the colonial masters built these prisons has changed so drastically today. So many valuable things then are no longer valuable today. The way the whole world perceives offenders today is quite different from that of those days.10 Ways to Improve Nigeria Prisons

Criminal justice no longer sees the prison yard as a place of punishment. It now views prison as a place for corrective measures. It is for this reason that the Nigerian government decided to change the name from Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) to Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS).

Nevertheless, changing the name is not changing the system. The entire correctional system needs a thorough overhaul. Such an overhaul will tally with the new name.

2. International Standards

In this modern world, countries are no longer doing things in isolation. Most countries belong to the global community. The global community has rules that govern what member countries do.

For example, Nigeria is a member of the United Nations (UN). Nigeria as a member of the United Nations should follow United Nations’ guidelines for keeping inmates.

Now that Nigeria has decided to go by the name: Nigerian Correctional Service, it should follow global best practices concerning correctional measures. If Nigeria does this, there will be a great improvement in Nigerian Prison Service.5 Best Sellotapes in Nigeria and their Prices

3. Awaiting Trial Custody

One major problem with Nigerian Prisons is congestion. Yet, reports have it that about 70% of those in the prisons are awaiting trial, why?

Remember, these people have not been convicted. What then is the justification for keeping them among prisoners? Since they are awaiting trial, the best thing is to keep them separate from those who have been convicted. The Federal Government should build special custody where it should keep those who are awaiting trial to decongest the prisons. Best MTN tariff plans for calls and their migration codes

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4. Inmates Educational Training

In the past, Nigerian Prisons are characterized by inmates’ inhuman treatment. Such practices are not correctional in any way. For Nigeria now to follow good correctional practices, it should now focus on godly correction and true rehabilitation.

Educational training of inmates would go a long way in their unpretentious reintegration into Nigerian society. This is what other countries do. They educate their inmates. Some of them provide vocational training for the inmates. Thus, they do not think of committing crimes upon leaving prison. NYSC Portal

What Nigeria should boast of now is adequate facilities. No such training can be complete without the necessary classrooms, workshops, and needed equipment. Qualified trainers should also be available with the necessary skills. Once all these are in place, then, Nigeria is ready to answer the name: Nigerian Correctional Service and no more Nigeria Prison Service.

5. Staff Training and Retraining

As a way to improve Nigeria Prisons, the staff that works in prisons need proper training. We are in a digital age. Those that trained in the analog age need to come up to the digital age.

Moreover, the way people commit crimes years ago is not the way people commit crimes today. Change in world activities necessitates retraining of staff. Nigeria should improve the way it trains and retrains its Correctional Service staff. 105 Good morning My Love Messages

6. Renovation

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Renovation is one of the ways to improve Nigeria Prisons. The service should do away with the dilapidated facilities that it currently has. Reports have it that the Port Harcourt prison was built as far back as 1918 with 800 inmates capacity. Such a building is overdue for renovation.

When it comes to prisoners’ accommodation, Nigeria has two options. Either it finds means of stopping crime or it builds more prisons to accommodate the increasing number of criminals in the country.

For old buildings like that of Port Harcourt prison which is designated to hold only 800 inmates now to start accommodating about 5000 inmates means that Nigeria is not doing well in the area of its prisons. Improvement is inevitable at this point. 200 Romantic Love Messages for her

7. Corruption Check

As a way to improve Nigeria Prisons, the Federal Government must put a mechanism in place to check corruption in the service. Corruption is a problem bedeviling Nigeria Prisons. Without checking it, no improvement can take place there.

The Federal Government may decide to vote billions of naira for the reformation of prisons. With corrupt people managing the money, nothing good will be done there. Therefore, to improve Nigeria Prisons, there must be a way to check corruption in the service.

8. Correctional Service Commission

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To improve Nigeria’s Prisons, the Federal Government should establish Correctional Service Commission to oversee the activities of the service.

Creating a commission for the management of Nigeria Prisons will bring efficiency to its administration.

9. Adequate Funding

To improve Nigeria Prisons, there must be adequate funding. A situation where Nigeria Prisons will lack money to buy food for inmates is lamentable.

One problem that prison administrators have always complained about is the lack of medicines for inmates. This, too, is due to a lack of funds. Where money is readily available, there cannot be a lack of food and medicines.

If Nigeria Prisons must become correctional centers, there must be adequate provision of training materials for the inmates. Trainers must have enough money to buy training equipment. Until this is done, Nigerian Correctional Service is a mere nomenclature. Jamb portal

10. Compartmentalization

One problem that is inherent in Nigeria Prisons is packing all inmates together. Sometimes, even women are locked together with men in the same cells. This is not good enough.

To improve this situation, Nigeria Prisons must be compartmentalized. Prisoners who are under aged must be separated from those who are adults. In the same vein, women should be separated from men. In addition, those who are minor offenders ought to be separated from major offenders.

Such compartmentalization should also take care of those with death sentences. In this way, hardened criminals would now be dealt with separately and would not have the chance of hardening others.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, the improvement of Nigeria Prisons is overdue. So many people have been crying for its reform to no avail. It is high time the Federal Government listens to the cry of the citizens.

The above suggestions would go a long way to improve Nigeria Prisons. Let such improvement go beyond a mere change of name.

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