Vulnerable Groups in Southern Sudan Prisons

• NCJ Number: 226962
• Author(s): Yvon Dandurand; Mark Lalonde; Aggrey Nyapola; Mark Shaw; Eileen Skinnider; Terry Waterhouse
• Date Published: 2009
• Length: 156 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Canada Foreign Affairs and International Trade
• Sale Source: University of the Fraser Valley
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

This book presents findings from a preliminary assessment of the circumstances and conditions of vulnerable prisoners in prisons managed by the Southern Sudan Prisons Service.

Abstract

Inmates with special needs, particularly mentally ill inmates, women, and children, are especially adversely affected by the current state of the prison system. Although their special needs could be addressed more effectively outside of prison, there are no alternative facilities or services in the community that are adequate to meet their needs. Some of the initiatives undertaken to date by the Prisons Service and its partners have improved the capacity of the service to better meet the needs of vulnerable groups in prison. Efforts are underway to build leadership capacity for prison services and address the circumstances of prisoners with special needs. Personnel must be hired and/or trained in information management, personnel management, leadership development, and the creation of comprehensive legislative and policy frameworks. Prison personnel must also become more proficient in providing for the special needs of prisoners and improving prison conditions, prisoner health, and prison sanitation and hygiene. Sentencing guidelines and the establishment of community-based sentencing options would assist in reducing prison overcrowding and facilitating offenders’ social reintegration after release from prison. Currently, the only viable sentences for most offenders are imprisonment and fines, with the latter often resulting in imprisonment for failure to pay the fine. There are no community-based sanctions such as probation or community service orders, and no programs for early or conditional release of prisoners are in place. In order to obtain information on prison conditions for vulnerable inmates, a questionnaire was developed and circulated among registry officers for each of the participating prisons. The questionnaire was designed to collect data from prisoners’ files as of May 31, 2008. 11 tables, 77 notes, and 3 appendixes