A critical analysis of the Prison system in Zambia: Does serving ones sentence in a Zambian Prison achieve its intended purpose?

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Date
2013-04-23
Authors
Chanda, Mwalula Mwelwa
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Abstract
Prisons in Zambia, have been a topic of concern from time in memorial. Due to poor economic conditions that exist in the country, there has been a continuous decrease in the facilities where prisoners are kept. Though money has been allocated to prisons in the national budget each and every year, nothing much has happened to improve the situation. Zambia has ratified the following conventions which establish international and regional human rights standards with regard to prisoners: The International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) .The Convention on Civil and Political Rights (1984). The Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1984). The First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1984). However, a review of most Zambian prisons shows that the situation is far from what the country has ratified or become a party to because the standards of upholding human rights in prisons is almost none existent. The research was conducted through desk work the Permanent Secretary refused to authorize permission to visit the prisons or interview the secretary of prisons. However, through desk work and interviews from people who are knowledgeable, the author was able to come up with some of the major problems that are faced in prisons. The recommendations that have been suggested include, allowing the private sector to take active participation in the running of prisons at different levels, educating of prison wardens and police officers, taking serious measures in ensuring that the rights of prisoners are upheld, making use of the parole board that has been put in place and encouraging of presidential pardons as a way of decongesting the prisons.
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Prison Administration-Zambia , Prison Management
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