The Public Relations Unit of the Yeji Camp Prison, led by the Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP) Karimu Nurudeen, has held a public sensitization program intended to promote public awareness on crime prevention, inmate rehabilitation, and reintegration.
The program was held at the College of Nursing and Midwifery in Yeji, where students and staff gathered for a fascinating and inspiring session.
The engagement forms part of broader efforts instituted by the Ghana Prisons Service to educate the public, particularly young people in educational institutions. To enhance their knowledge on ways to prevent crime and also ensure discipline and respect for laws among the youth.
ASP Karimu Nurudeen stressed the need for education and awareness in decreasing crime and encouraging a more inclusive society for rehabilitated inmates. He noted that crime prevention is a collective effort by individuals, families, institutions, and law enforcement agencies.
For crime to be effectively prevented, there is a need to understand the root cause. Most often, individuals ignore the root causes and focus only on the triggers and results, which leads to the likelihood of the crimes recurring.
Issues such as family orientation, behavioral traits, unemployment, and peer pressure are major causes of crime among the youth in Ghana. These serve as avenues for crimes to occur, and, therefore, measures must be put in place to tackle this menace.
The team also touched on the duty of the Ghana Prisons Service, which is to help transform inmates through rehabilitation. Prisons, as communicated is not solely to serve as a means of punishment but also to renew the minds of individuals.
ASP Karimu Nurudeen touched on the realities of being a prisoner, detailing the conditions in the Ghana prisons, and urged the students to be law-abiding and do their best to stay out of trouble.
He also noted that while in prison, inmates are made to undergo some vocational training, such as carpentry, tailoring, agriculture, soap making, and others. These efforts are aimed at rehabilitating and preparing them to be integrated successfully into society, and also equip them with skills to provide job opportunities for them.
Public Urged To Desist From Stigmatization
The team highlighted the stigmatization and discrimination that inmates face on their return home after completing their sentences. In most cases, it hinders their ability to gain employment and rebuild their lives.
Attendees were urged to treat people returning from prisons with empathy and understanding, demonstrating shared values in community development and protection.
ASP Karimu Nurudeen called on students and staff to have a renewed mindset about former prisoners, and this will ultimately lead to a more humane approach to how society handles them.
After the presentation, students and staff were allowed to ask questions and share their views on the issues discussed. Some shared their views on the nature of prisons in Ghana. The staff members were not left out of the education as they were fully present and active to learn and also share their views, as well as ask questions and seek clarifications.
Some staff members of the college also contributed to the discussion, stressing the need for constant collaboration between educational institutions and security agencies. They noted that such engagements not only educate students but also inspire them to become responsible citizens who are mindful of their actions and their impact on society.
“The session covered crime prevention, prison rehabilitation, and inmate reintegration. Students and staff participated actively, while the principal commended the initiative and called for more engagement.”
Ghana Prison Service
He asserted that the program was timely and insightful, noting that it is in line with the institution’s commitment to holistic education.
The event ended with a revived sense of awareness among participants, as they expressed their gratitude to the team for the knowledge they had acquired.
The Yeji Camp Prison Public Relations Unit charged the participants to be in good behavior and uphold discipline as they brought their awareness campaign to an end.
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