Prisoners no longer sleep in shifts at Nsawam

Inmates at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison do not sleep in shifts any longer.

Recent media reports revealed that inmates of the prison were compelled to sleep in turns due to overcrowding.

The Nsawam Prison which was originally constructed to house 800 inmates currently holds over 2700 inmates, including convicts and suspects on remand. The huge number therefore, puts pressure on the system.

Speaking to Joy News, the Director in charge of operations of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr. Ben Quaye said the recent innovative system in the criminal justice system, 'Justice for All' programme in which prisoners on remand have their cases reviewed is helping to decongest the prisons.

He said the programme is the most productive for the Ghana Prisons in recent times.

He said on a daily basis about ten prisoners are released from custody through the programme. But he also added that for every ten inmates that are released, the police bring in some twenty more.