PRISON BEST PRACTICE SHEET
Name of Prison: Old Abeokuta Prison
Best Practice Category: Offender Management
State/Region: Abeokuta, Ogun State Country: Nigeria
MANAGEMENT OF CONDEMNED CONVICTS
Imprisonment and other measures which result in cutting off an offender from the outside world are afflictive by the very fact of taking from the person the right of self determination by depriving him of his liberty. Therefore the prison system shall not, except as incidental to justifiable segregation or the maintenance of discipline, aggravate the suffering inherent in such a situation. (UNSMR Rule 57)
Due to inadequate space and human resources, the common practice in several prisons is for condemned convicts to remain locked up and separated from other prison inmates. It is assumed that if given the same level of freedom enjoyed by other inmates, these convicts may escape or make it more difficult for the officers to effectively govern the prisons.
As one of the oldest prisons in Nigeria, it is surprising that Old Abeokuta prison which faces problems of inadequate infrastructure chose instead to adopt the practice of giving condemned convicts the same level of freedom enjoyed by other inmates within the prison walls.
Incredibly, this practice has proven to be quite successful in reducing the level of tension, as well as mortality rate recorded within the prison. According to the prison authorities, it has encouraged the development of a sense of responsibility among the convicts who are even used to monitor their fellow inmates and maintain order within the prison yard.
Most importantly, the prison is yet to record any incidence of escape among its condemned convicts.
PRISON BEST PRACTICE SHEET
Name of Prison: Ogun State Prisons Command
Best Practice Category: Offender Management
State/Region: Ogun State Country: Nigeria
RECREATIONAL ACITIVITIES FOR INMATES
Recreational and Cultural activities shall be provided in all institutions for the benefit of the mental and physical health of prisoners. (UNSMR Rule 78)
Unlike the usual practice for inmates to be given at least one hour of suitable exercise in open air daily, recreational activities within the Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Prisons service have taken a more interesting turn.
In Old Abeokuta Prisons, individual sports clubs are invited into the prison for football matches with the prison inmates’ football team. In the Old Abeokuta prison, New Abeokuta Prison and Ijebu Ode prisons inter-cell football competitions and table tennis competitions are also carried out to keep inmates occupied and reduce the level of tension within the prison walls. In Ijebu Ode Prisons, winners are encouraged with gifts provided by prison officers.
By inviting sports clubs into the prisons for football matches, the members of the public are given an opportunity to interact with inmates, hence dispensing some of the misconceptions about inmates shared by the general public. On one hand, this practice helps address the issues of social stigma faced by prisoners, on the other hand, these competitive activities are more engaging for inmates than the usual exercises provided within the prisons, hence more effective.
PRISON BEST PRACTICE SHEET
Name of Prison: Sagamu Prisons
Best Practice Category: Offender Management
State/Region: Ogun State Country: Nigeria
INMATE RAHBILITATION AND LIVING CONDITIONS
Sagamu prison is a small prison established in 1936 with a capacity of 88 persons and total inmate population of 214 as at 22nd March 2014. Its size and history of prison break made it highly necessary for the authorities to explore more creative means of providing effective governance in the face of various financial and human resource challenges. One of such options is the private sector partnership with Lafarge Cement Company and Sagamu Community Development Council which resulted in the construction of the prison’s clinic.
In addition to this, the officer in charge of the prison established a car wash facility accessible to the public. The facility is located outside the prison walls and is used as an incentive for the best behaved inmates who are about concluding their prison term.
According to Rule 10 of the UNSMR: All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all sleeping accommodation shall meet all requirements of health, due regard being paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation. In accordance to this rule, the car wash is not only used to train inmates at the end of their prison term, it provides an alternative to the use of corporal punishment for inmate discipline and the proceeds are used to fuel the prison’s generator for the provision of overnight power supply for the inmates.