Social justice vs. curbing social vices

Prisons the world over serve as institutions for correction and rehabilitation, preparatory to reintegration of inmates with the larger society later; hence, locking people up perpetually in prisons does not bring about the desired positive change.

Just like the issues of social vices, arrest and enactment of laws with stiff punishment have not in any way reduced the daily occurrence of such vices neither has that re-engineered the thoughts of those accused, the involved or those thinking seriously of getting involved. Nigeria's current predicament vis-à-vis alarming progression of youth involvement in social vices bears this out.

Increasing crime rate and other forms of social vices in the Nigerian society are exacting a heavy toll on us financially as a people – maintaining the institutions for correction and emotionally as families – faced with the attendant stigmatization. The situation is gradually getting out of control; something very urgent needs to be done now to stem the effects of this harmattan, this raging bush-fire engulfing principally our youths.

A trip to our prisons leaves one with a very big worry – 'How did we get here, considering the population of inmates within Nigerian prison walls?' It is no news that approximately 85% of the inmates of these prisons are those classified as AT ('awaiting trial') and sadly most of them have been there for periods ranging from one month to five years – waiting for justice which might take eternity.

Ironically, not all AT inmates are criminals. There are some who are inmates as a result of crimes they have no idea of whatsoever. Many are innocent people picked up merely because the authorities claim they could not find the suspect who might merely be thought to have been a relation, friend, or acquaintance of the person now being held AT.

It is also a common practice for security personnel in mufti to use commuter buses to trap passengers and tag them 'suspects' on frivolous charges. Such people find themselves in prison 'custody' if they are unable to 'bail' themselves at the point of contact with the security people.

The generally held belief is that the law is no respecter of persons. In Nigeria, the law does respect some persons. Though not institutionalized, there is discrimination and stratification in the treatment and punishment of offenders. For example, a boy who steals a telephone handset not worth more than N1,500 when caught is tried and jailed for a period ranging from six months to several years. On the other hand a man who embezzles or steals up to N5m with his pen, is hardly arrested, talk less of imprisoned. What an irony!

Ideally, the government and all her security agencies should serve and see to the welfare of her citizens including suspects, prisoners and ex-convicts. Unfortunately the government has no plans or agenda to protect suspects and prison inmates from denial of justice, cruelty and inhuman conditions of our prisons or to even rehabilitate ex-convicts for a better society.

The family plays a vital role in the life of every individual being the springboard upon which the individual from childhood to teenager, youth and adulthood forms its identity. Every prisoner and ex-convict is in dire need of the love and affection of the family members and this should never be denied, irrespective of the crime.

Indeed, whenever an inmate or an ex-convict is looked upon as an outcast, he feels antagonized and eventually relapses into criminal behavior which sends him back to the prison. If society's attitude towards the ex-convict becomes more positive and conciliatory than it is presently, the rate of recidivism will sharply drop.

The various religious groups (Christian and Islam) are not left out. They that ought to be the light to the society have continued to fail in this respect. Religious groups must be seen not only as giving directives for the restoration of justice but also championing the course for the right dispensation of justice.

So then where do solutions lie: permit me to say that they lie with the religious groups, the time is ripe for them to rise to their God-given responsibility by reaching out to all groups – children, teenagers, youth, men and women in the free society and in the prisons with the gospel of truth and justice. They must also commit their resources towards the rehabilitation of inmates and ex-convicts more than ever before.