Life After Serving Time In Correctional Facilities: A Study Of Social Reintegration Of Juveniles In Accra, Ghana

ABSTRACT Social reintegration of young offenders is a main challenge facing the justice system around the world. In the developed world where parole services exist, ex-offenders are easily reintegrated into the society to rebuild their lives. Although much study has been conducted on the juvenile justice system within the Ghanaian context, there is little knowledge about prerelease and post-release reintegration programmes as well as the role of the community, including the family and social system, faith-based and non- governmental organizations to ensure the reintegration of young offenders into the society. Anecdotal evidence from individuals who have met offenders or ex-offenders seem to indicate that reintegration programmes and community support services are typically absent or ineffective in Ghana. This study sought to fill this gap by using qualitative research approach to analyse the perspectives of correctional service providers, NGOs and key family members of young offenders regarding how young offenders are reintegrated into the Ghanaian society after release from correctional centres. Specifically, the objectives of the research are to examine: the life experiences of juveniles who come into conflict with the law; the kind of training and therapeutic programmes available in the Senior Correctional Centre and its effectiveness; pre-release and post-release reintegration programmes available in Senior Correctional Centre; the roles families (guardian) and neighbour/friends in the reintegration of young offenders; and the contribution of CRRECENT (a local NGO) toward reintegration of young offenders into society. The study conducted in-depth interviews with Prison officers in the Senior Correctional Centre, Staff of Child Research and Resource Centre, young offenders within the CRRECENT reintegration programme who live in Accra and also young offenders who reside in Accra but are not in the CRRECENT reintegration programme. Purposive and respondent-respondent snowball sampling method was used. Also, the researcher visited the Child Research and Resource Centre (CRRECENT), Senior Correctional Centre (SCC) and homes of young xi offenders to conduct face-face interviews and in other cases phone interviews were conducted to solicit information. Thematic analyse was used to analyse data. Findings of the study indicated that factors such as lack of family support, parental irresponsibility and peer influences are critical in determining whether a child will come into conflict with the law regardless of his/her socio-economic background. The findings also revealed that judges are always seen to be acting in the “best interest” of young offender. Academic, vocation training programmes and counselling have been the main approach the SCC use to tackle the key barriers that young offenders face when re-entering their community. The study further reveals that counselling is used as a pre-release reintegration programmes to prepare young offenders before they are released into the society. Also, the Senior Correctional Centre does not engage in post-release reintegration programmes such as Parole, their work ends after the young offender is released. To a large extent families and other relations have been supportive in the process of reintegration of juvenile offenders. The NGO, Child Research Resource Centre (CRRECENT) has made immense contributions towards reintegration of young offenders in Ghana. Reintegration of Young offenders into the society can be successfully when they are effectively rehabilitated, they get their families support and finally when they get support from government (Social Welfare), faith-based organizations and non-governmental organisations.