Abstract:
This study broadly investigates the impact of the “Justice for All Programme” on
Ghana’s prison system. Specifically, the study seeks to outline the causes of delay in
access to Justice by remand prisoners, identifies the effect of the delay in access to
Justice by remand Prisoners on the Prison Administration, examines the effect of
delay in access to Justice by remand Prisoners, and assesses the effect of the “Justice
for All Programme” on access to justice by remand Prisoners.The study is based on a
review of literature on the subject studied, and qualitative research techniques. The
data was collected through Key Informant Interviews, In-depth Interviews, and review
of official records. The sample size for the study is twenty one (21) respondents. This
means that the findings cannot be used for statistical analysis. This study found out
that there are both physical (distances from courts) and structural (adjournments)
delays in the justice administration, that the prison administration is saddled with a lot
of problems such as overcrowding, poor sanitation, pressure on the budget of the
prisons as a result of the delay in accessing justice. The study further found out that
the “Justice for All Programme” has helped to decongest the prisons to some extent.
The author therefore recommends a Legal Aid Policy that shall promote speedy
access to justice, reformative programmes such as skills training for prisoners, a social
protection and support programmes that could help for effective reintegration of
remand prisoners into society, and the establishment of a remand home to avoid the
mingling of remand prisoners with convicted prisoners.
