Government has welcomed the introduction of community service as a non- custodial sentence which it sees will help decongest prisons in the country.
And Zambia Law Development Commission Deputy Director Joyce Shezongo said that few people were faced with community service sentencing though the Community Service Sentencing was enacted in 2000.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Eularia Zulu said government has been concerned for a long time about the congestion in prisons.
Ms Zulu said that the 1996 special report on prisons and condition of detention Zambia prisons, the State was drawn to the lapses in the criminal justice system,the treatment and condition of inmates.
She was speaking in a speech read on her behalf by Chipata District Commissioner Moses Nyirenda at New Crystal Springs workshop organized by Zambia Law Development Commission in Chipata today.
She stated that it was for this reason that government was committed to meeting the United Nations (UN) minimum rules for non-custodial measures.
Ms Zulu said that having studied the report, it led to the discussion on non-custodial measures the enactment of the Penal Code and prison act of 2000 providing for non-custodial act
The Permanent Secretary said that government through the Ministry of Home Affairs which had the portfolio to manage prisons was anxious to see the implementation of community service sentencing come to pass.
And Zambia Law Development Commission Deputy Director Joyce Shezongo said that few people were faced with community service sentencing though the Community Service Sentencing was enacted in 2000.
Ms Shezongo said that there was need to have increased appreciation of community service sentencing as an alternative to custodial sentencing.
She also said that the Zambia Law Development Commission would facilitate recommendations for the implementation of the Law on community service sentencing.
The two day workshop was comprised of participants from the Zambia Police, Zambia Prisons, Ministry of Justice, Social ware fare and other stake holders.
ZANIS
Dont just pass laws unless you are sure they will work for Zambia. Is this going to be house arrest, half way houses or how exactly will these criminals interact with communities?
Princess…Community Service can work in Zambia, its an alternative to sending convicts to prisons by odering them to do some work for a specified period at say public institutions like court, police stations and other likes of Government. These offenders would be coming from there homes to report for work being supervised by Government responsible officers. It may reduce congestion in prisons. Is this ok 4 u?
this can work………ofcourse it not evey crime that qualifies you for connunity service……..a few months back ndola central mp mr mushili was sentenced to community service for bouncing a check
This development is most welcome as it will be more productive and less costly to the treasurery. This should start with those who plunder our resources and be made to clean wards at UTH and sweeping the streets. Prisons should confine those who commit serious crimes like murder, rape, robbery etc. I hope the pipo responsible will not abuse their offices and sentence big offenders to community work. In fact Zambia should start making full use of prisoners in the construction industry. It will rduce labour costs.
This long overdue for the likes of Chiluba and RB to clean public toilets since its expensive to keep them in jail.
Good initiative. Our prisons are not well maintained due to limited resources allocated for large numbers of inmates. Prisoners are supposed to be reformed instead of turning them into hard core characters. It is in the prison where inmates should realise their wrong doings and reform but not what is happening now where they are clustered together like locust and in fact come out worse than before they were convicted.