The Ghana Prisons Service as a key stakeholder of the Criminal Justice System of Ghana contributes to the maintenance of internal security by maintaining an efficient, humane, and safe reformatory penal system operated within the laws of Ghana. We believe in humanity, vigilance, fortitude, and integrity while helping in the reintegration of ex-convicts into society. The service comprises forty-six prison establishments located in all the sixteen regions of Ghana. At the apex is the Prisons Headquarters in the Greater Accra Region which also houses the Director-General of Prisons and his two Deputies, seven Directors of Prisons and other principal officeholders
Mission
We are committed to undertaking the safe custody, humane treatment, reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of inmates to make them responsible, productive, and law-abiding citizens to ensure public safety.
Vision
Building a world class Service to attain sustainable public safety through excellence in corrections management.
Our Principles
In carrying out our work we:
- Work in close partnership with others in the Criminal Justice System to achieve a common objective
- Obtain best value from the resources available to ensure effective correctional practice
- Promote diversity, equality of opportunity and combat unlawful discrimination
- Ensure our staff have the right leadership, organisation, support, training and preparation to carry out their work effectively.
Objectives
To protect the public by:
- Holding prisoners securely
- Reducing the risk of prisoners re-offending
- Providing safe and well-ordered establishments in which we treat prisoners humanely, decently and lawfully.
Policies
The following are some of the policies linked to the above functions:
- Execution of sentences in a humane manner to reduce recidivism (re-offending).
- Offering opportunities to prisoners to develop their skills through vocational training, moral and formal education.
- Encouraging public/private participation in the provision of skills training.
- Improvement in the welfare of prisoners (i.e. health care, clothing, bedding, feeding, recreation, library facilities, etc.).
- Protection of rights of prisoners.
Function
The core functions of the Ghana Prisons Service as spelt out in Section (1) of NRCD 46 (1972) are as follows:
- Safe custody of prisoners
- Welfare of prisoners.
- Reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners
It shall be the duty of the Prisons Service to ensure the safe custody and welfare of prisoners and whenever practicable to undertake the Reformation and Rehabilitation of prisoners. Every prison officer shall perform such functions as are by law conferred upon a Prison Officer and shall obey all lawful orders and direction in respect of the execution of his office which he may receive from his superiors in the Prisons Service.
Legislative Mandate
The following are legislation that govern the operations of the Service
- The 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
- Prisons Service (General Administration) Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 92)
- Prisons Service (Discipline) Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 93)
- Ghana Prisons Service Scheme of Service Administration (1991).
- Prison Regulations 1958 (L.I. 412).
- Prisons Service Decree, 1972 NRCD 46.
- Prisons (Declaration of Prisons) Instrument 1971 (E.I. 22).
- Prison (Amendment) Regulation 1970 (L.I. 648).
- Prison Standing Orders 1960.