A Death Of Ghana’s Probation Service?

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• Joe 11 years ago

  I have never heard of a ProbationService in Ghana. Is there such a thing? It is desperatly needed.

  I have never heard of a ProbationService in Ghana. Is there such a thing? It is desperatly needed.

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• Yaw 11 years ago

  This is an excellent information. I will need the reference and any other information. I am an international social worker and community development expert with specialisation in juvenile delinquency and restorative justice. ...
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  This is an excellent information. I will need the reference and any other information. I am an international social worker and community development expert with specialisation in juvenile delinquency and restorative justice. You can reach through wizdomp25@yahoo.co.uk

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• Yisi 11 years ago

  A great compilation by Mr Asante Fordjour. Hopefully, the powers that be have read the article and taken notice. Having previously worked in the social welfare system in Ghana for approximately a decade before relocating ove ...
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  A great compilation by Mr Asante Fordjour. Hopefully, the powers that be have read the article and taken notice. Having previously worked in the social welfare system in Ghana for approximately a decade before relocating overseas, where I have been employed at various levels in the criminal justice system, I did question Ghana's legal system and the management or mis-management of offenders a lot. There have been attempts in the past to revamp the system with great financial support from Save the Children's Fund but nothing positive came out it. Considering the probation & parole systems operated in the west, it seems almost impossible we could replicate same in a resourced starved nation like Ghana. I was amazed at the level of skill, expertise and knowledge exhibited by personnel from various backgrounds like psychology, criminology, law, policing, social work, welfare, mental health, etc in the the probation and parole unit I found myself in. Training in the use of modern tools to assess and manage high risk sex offenders, violent offenders in domestic and general settings, property and substance abuse related offenders among others are a regular occurrence. I am aware there are committed people in Ghana willing to engage in such work, however, the will to set up suitable systems in this area has always been a challenge. Focus has always been on so called 'elite' professions to the disadvantage of very important areas like the Correctional industry; adult or juvenile. On a number of visits to gaols in Ghana, it was sad to note that majority of the so called criminals, most of whom needed economic redemption of some sort or general guidance deserved better than flea infested cells and associated strange rashes on weakened bodies. The saddest part was seeing offenders on remand for ten years or more without hearing in a law court. When released, they only become hardened because of the system that failed them. It is possible to achieve modest gains with support from private/govt. bodies so please wake up policy makers before the number of armed robbers grow beyond redemption. There is a scientific way to combat crime at a reasonably successful rate so let's get on with it. Prison is not always the answer. The current system is a shame and it only belongs to the last century.

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