NCJ Number
206990
Date Published
May 2001
Length
193 pages
Annotation
This report provides edited papers and workshop presentations on prison conditions presented at the first Pan-African Seminar on Prison Conditions in Africa held September 19-21, 1996 in Kampala, Uganda.
Abstract
Held in Kampala, Uganda, the first Pan-African Seminar took place focusing on prison conditions throughout Africa with 40 African countries and representatives from non-governmental organizations in attendance to deliberate on the problems faced related to prison conditions. This book provides a selection of various papers presented at the seminar by knowledgeable experts on prison conditions in Africa, as well as workshop presentations. Topics addressed in the papers included: (1) prisons are for everybody; (2) an overview on the prison situation in Africa; (2) the crisis in the prison system and the responses to the crisis; (3) prison conditions and human rights; (4) prisoners as vulnerable; (5) remand prisoners; (6) non-custodial sentences and alternatives to imprisonment; and (7) a report from the General Rapporteur. Workshop presentations focused on labor in prison and rehabilitation, non-custodial sentences and alternatives to imprisonment, personnel and resources, rights of prisoners, vulnerable prisoners, and remand prisoners. The report concludes with an overview of the Kampala Declaration on Prison Conditions in Africa which was adopted by consensus at the closure of the seminar. The Declaration was the first issued by an international forum on conditions in prison. The Declaration is invested with considerable moral authority due to the level and diversity of representation and the number of countries represented. Based on the recommendations contained in the Declaration, a Plan of Action was drawn up following the seminar and is designed to assist governments and non-governmental agencies in determining priorities and deciding on a course of action. In addition, it sets an agenda for future penal reform. Appendixes