The President Nigeria Society for Criminology (NSC), Professor Oludayo Tade, Monday, advised the judiciary to use non-custodial sentences more for less serious offences.
Prof Tade gave the advice in Ibadan while speaking on the just concluded international conference of the society held at the University of Abuja with the theme: “Correctional service reformation in Nigeria: Promoting justice, rehabilitation, and social reintegration”.
The NSC president maintained that this will serve as a way to decongest the overcrowded custodial facilities and reduce the number of inmates on awaiting trial across the countyry.
Stressing the urgency of addressing the high number of awaiting-trial inmates, Prof Tade said 53,234 (66%) of the total inmate population (81,234) are awaiting trial, contributing significantly to overcrowding and systemic inefficiencies.
He said, the number of awaiting trial inmates in custodial facilities impacts the welfare of both correctional service personnel and the inmates’ desire to access justice.
Keynote speaker at the conference, the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, who spoke on “2019 Correctional Service Act: Challenges and Prospects for effective Implementation,” called for the co-location of the courts and the custodial facilities, which according to him, would hasten justice dispensation and remove some of the logistical challenges associated with taking inmates to courts.
Represented by Controller of Corrections, Dr Tukura Yakubu, the Controller-General also pushed for the use of technology to improve access to justice and hasten quick dispensation of cases before the courts. “Technology adaptation in investigation, trial and corrections is possible if we leverage on technology,” he said.
The CGC also implored legal practitioners to increase their interventions “by way of offering pro-bono services to inmates that can not afford legal representation”.