A Chronicle of The Gambia Prison System

Yıl 2021, , 758 - 789, 22.06.2021

Ousainou Loum Akpojevbe Omasanjuwa

https://doi.org/10.21551/jhf.928700

Öz

The article focuses on prisons in The Gambia since 1821 when the first prison was opened. Through qualitative analysis of primary and secondary sources, the chronology of the prisons system was traced and findings shows that the ramshackle condition of the facilities has no resemblance with those in Britain, especially Pentonville Prison of 1842 which is the standard prison in Britain and some of her colonies. Several reasons caused the neglect the institution has suffered since the colonial era. Apart from the shoestring budgetary allocations to the prisons, another factor among others is the ulterior motives of the colonial and post-colonial administrators using the facilities to keep potential mischief makers at bay by neglecting the penological principles governing prison administration. This offered the scanty European population and their successors protection from suspected mischief-makers, a tactic interpreted as being tough on crime. The article recommended the phasing out of the prison system. In its place, an educational institution under the education ministry should replace the prisons.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Prison, The Gambia, Human Rights

Destekleyen Kurum

None

Proje Numarası

None

Teşekkür

It will be appreciated if you kindly let me know the similarity index report if it exceeded your recommended limit. This enable me to effect corrections. Thanks

Kroniklerde Gambiya Hapishane Sistemi

Öz

The article focuses on prisons in The Gambia since 1821 when the first prison was opened. Through qualitative analysis of primary and secondary sources, the chronology of the prisons system was traced and findings shows that the ramshackle condition of the facilities has no resemblance with those in Britain, especially Pentonville Prison of 1842 which is the standard prison in Britain and some of her colonies. Several reasons caused the neglect the institution has suffered since the colonial era. Apart from the shoestring budgetary allocations to the prisons, another factor among others is the ulterior motives of the colonial and post-colonial administrators using the facilities to keep potential mischief makers at bay by neglecting the penological principles governing prison administration. This offered the scanty European population and their successors protection from suspected mischief-makers, a tactic interpreted as being tough on crime. The article recommended the phasing out of the prison system. In its place, an educational institution under the education ministry should replace the prisons.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Prison, The Gambia, Colonial Rule, Penology, Human Righrs

Proje Numarası

None

Kaynakça

• Abiodun, Tosin, Funmi, “A historical study on penal confinement and institutional life in southern Nigeria, 1860-1956.” Phd dissertation, University of Texas at Austin, (2013)
• Andrew, Coyle, “Managing Prisons in a Time of Change.” International Centre for prison studies U.K. (2002) Andrew, Coyle, “Prison Reform Efforts around The World: The Role Of Prison Administrators”, 24 Pace Law Review. 825. (2004).
• Andrew, Coyle, “Prison Reform Efforts Around The World: The Role Of Prison Administrators,” 24 Pace Law Review. 825 (2004).
• Anne, Owens, “Prison inspection and protection of prisoners right,” 30 Pace Law Review 1535, (2010)
• Archer, Francis, Bisset, “The Gambia Colony and Protectorate: An Official Handbook.” Frank Cass & C. Ltd. P. 135. (1967).
• Beatty, Kenneth James “Human Leopards: An account of the Trials of Human Leopards before the Special Commission Courts; with a note on Sierra Leone, Past and Present.” London: Hugh Rees (1915). . Beatty, Kenneth, James, Review by F.W.H.M. “Human Leopards Society” In Journal of the Royal African Society, 15, (59), (1916) pp. 290-292.
• Byers, P. Joseph, Prison Reform, Journal Of CRIMINAL LAW & CRIMINOLOGY 872 (1916).
• Charles, A. Ellwood, “English Prison System and What We Can Learn from It,” Journal of American Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology, (May 1916 to March 1917)
• Cindy, S. Woods, “Addressing Prison Overcrowding In Latin America: A Comparative Analysis of The Necessary Precursors To Reform.” Ilsa Journal of International C & Comparative Law. 22, (2016).
• Dior, Konate, “A History of the Penal State in Senegal: Repressive Architectures and the Life of Prison Detainees from the 19th Century to the Present,” (PhD diss., University of Wisconsin.), (2006)
• Elias, Taslim, “The Nature of African Customary Law”, 268.
• Alemika, Etannibi, “Socio-economic and Criminological Attributes of Convicts in Two Nigerian Prisons,” Journal of Criminal Justice 16, (1988).
• Gillian,J. L. “The World’s training School for prison officials” American Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology (1932-1933)
• Global Prison Trend Thailand Institute of Justice (2020). https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Global-Prison-Trends-2020-Penal-Reform-International-Second-Edition.pdf
• Jarrett, H.R. “The Strangers-Farmers of The Gambia.” Geographical Review, vol. 39, No 4. pp. 649-657, (1949)
• Jarrett, H.R. “The Strangers-Farmers of The Gambia.” Geographical Review, vol. 39, No 4. (1949)
• Jeremy, Sarkin, “Prisons in Africa: an evaluation from a human rights perspective” international journal on human rights Year 5 • Number 9 • São Paulo. (2008)
• John, A. Humbach “Is America Becoming A Nation of Ex-Cons?” 12 Ohio St. Journal of Criminal Law. 605 (2015)
• Kristin, Mann, Law in Colonial Africa (London: Heinemann Educational Books), 3. Cited in Abiodun p.180.
• Lasker, E. Morris “Prison Reform Revisited: A Judge’s Perspective.” 24 Pace Law Review 427. (2004)
• Lasker, E. Morris “Prison Reform Revisited: The Unfinished Agenda,” 24 Pace Law Review. 427. (2004 b).
• Leonard, Kercher, “The Kenya Penal System: Past, Present and Prospect Washington”: University Press of America (1981)
• Michael, B. Mushlin, “I Am Opposed to This Procedure: How Kafka's In the Penal Colony Illuminates the Current Debate About Solitary Confinement and Oversight of American Prisons,” 93 Oregon Law Review. 571. (2015)
• Nathan, Vincent, M. “Have the courts made a difference in the quality of prison conditions?” Pace Law Review. 419. (2004)
• Omasanjuwa, A. Proposed “Convict Enfranchisement in the Gambia: Lessons from America,” Journal of Universal History Studies, 3 (2), (2020). 168-194.
• Omasanjuwa, A. and Phebean Jinisa, “Public Health in Colonial and Post-Colonial Gambia: A case Study of Malaria Fever.” West Africa Review. (2014)
• Park, J. Matthew, “Heart Of Banjul: The History Of Banjul, The Gambia, 1816 -1965,” A Dissertation Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of History- Doctor of Philosophy. (2016)
• Paul, Osifodunrin, “Property Crime in Nineteenth Century Lagos: Criminal Tradition or Popular Culture of Accumulating Wealth,” unpublished paper, (2010): 33.
• Robert, Ringer, The Individual Versus the State. (2014). https://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/06/robert-ringer/the-individual-vs-the-state
• Yuri, Ivanovich, Kalinin, “The Russian Penal System: Past, Present And Future” 23. (2002)
• Zahid Anwar S. and Zubair Shah “A History of Prison Reforms in Pakistan.” Global Regional Review 1, (1). (2016)
• Wright, A. R. “Secret Societies and Fetishism in Sierra Leone.” In Folklore, 18, (4)pp. 423-427. (1907):