Browsing by Author "ADAMU JAGAFA, ISHAYA"

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PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF PRISONERS IN NIGERIA: POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
(National Institute, Kuru, 2004-11-30) ADAMU JAGAFA, ISHAYA
The study focused on protecting the rights of prisoners in Nigeria with special reference to policy implications for law enforcement. The study examined some salient issues such as the changing roles of prisons and the issue of human rights and privileges of prisoners. The purpose of this study is essentially advocacy. The time has come for policy makers in Nigeria to move from rhetoric's to practical implementation of the universally recognised fundamental rights of prisoners. This work has south to highlight the roles that both government and other stakeholders should play in the reformation of the Nigerian prison system. The study used both primary and secondary data, which were subjected to descriptive analysis. The researcher also used his personal experience and contact, being a Senior Prison Officer for information. The research established that prisoners are not properly catered for in this country. Generally, the attitude of both the law enforcement agents and the public to prisoners have been very negative both while in confinement and when they had served their sentences. This negative attitude over the years has led to deprivation of their fundamental human and other rights as enshrined in both the constitution and other statutory documents. The consequence of this is that many a prisoner in Nigeria comes out more hardened than reformed. Invariably, this leads to high rate of recidivism in Nigeria. Based on the findings from this study, a number of recommendations were arrived at. The most vital recommendations are that the Federal Government should formulate penal policies that will place human treatment and reformation of prisoners as the main purpose of imprisonment. In addition, the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) should employ the Standard Minimum Rule (SMR) for treatment of prisoners and produce standard documents, which are reliable for recording criminal statistics. The Federal Government on its parts should fund the NPS adequately and provide necessary facilities and empowerment to rehabilitate the prisons in the country. The implementation strategies are for government to send a bill to the legislature on the amendment of the current Prison Act and increase the budgetary allocation of the NPS. The NPS on its part should articulate operational guidelines that will conform to the SMR.