115 Juveniles Incarcerated

One hundred and fifteen juveniles were being held in incaceration at the Senior Correctional Centre (SCC), formally known as the Ghana Borstal Institute as at December 2010. The juveniles who were serving various prison terms, were aged between 15 and 18 years. Their offences, included threat of death, rape, fraud, unlawful entry and robbery, which are also the general crimes committed by adult prisoners. The Chief Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, ASP Courage Atsem, told graphic.com.gh that the juveniles who normally are released with no criminal records documented against them, served sentences ranging from three months to three years as stipulated by law. While at the SCC, they are kept separately from adults, ASP Atsem said, pointing out that �The philosophy behind the SCC is more of reformation and not punitive.� ASP Atsem said, the young offenders are therefore trained in various vocational trades such as welding, vulcanising, tailoring, carpentry, auto mechanical and general electricals. They also go through formal education up to the Junior High School level as well as ICT and moral education, which programmes are designed to facilitate their smooth re-integration into the society upon their release. On the general prison situation in the country the 2010 annual report of the Ghana Prison Service indicated that during the year under review, 21,042 prisoners were admitted which representsed an annual reduction rate of 14.2 per cent. Of the total admissions, 7,942 were convicts while 13,100 were remand prisoners. Six thousand and ninety five were first offenders while 1,326 and 521 constituted second offenders and recidivists (prisoners with two or more previous convictions) respectively. Of the prison population in Ghana as at 2010, a total of 361 were foreigners. During the year under review, 15 pregnant women and seven nursing mothers were admitted to the various prisons , notably the Nsawam, Kumasi, Ho and Sunyani prisons. On the death portfolio, 78 deaths were recorded which figure according to the prison authorities showed a decrease of 9.3 percent over the previous year�s figure of 84. Five lives were lost to HIV/AIDS. Tuberculosis accounted for 15 deaths and that was the highest number while chest infection, jaundice and meningitis accounted for one death each. On the daily prisons rate which has been increased from GH60 peswas to GHc1.80 peswas, ASP Atsem told Graphic that the increment was good as it afforded the prisoners better meals. According to him the service had witnessed a peaceful and cordial co-existence between officers and inmates. On the prison population in Ghana, he said, as of March 12, 2012, the total prison population stood at 13,402 out of which 235 were females.