Lack of family support, limited job opportunities driving ex-convicts back to prison – Prisons Service

The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, has identified family neglect, social exclusion and limited employment opportunities as key factors contributing to the return of former inmates to prison.

Her comments follow a special report by the Auditor-General indicating that former inmates from 15 of Ghana’s 45 prisons returned to incarceration between 2020 and 2025, despite the implementation of an inmate support programme.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie outlined challenges facing the Service’s rehabilitation efforts, stressing that vocational training alone was insufficient to prevent reoffending without adequate support and employment opportunities after release.

Family rejection undermines rehabilitation efforts

Ms Baffoe-Bonnie explained that adjusting to life outside prison could be particularly challenging for individuals who had spent several years in custody and were accustomed to relying on the institution for their basic needs.

Although prison conditions presented significant difficulties, inmates had access to food, water, accommodation and sanitation facilities without having to pay household bills. Upon release, however, they must meet these expenses themselves, often without a reliable source of income.

She said the situation was compounded when families refused to welcome former inmates back into their homes or provide financial assistance as they attempted to rebuild their lives.

According to the Director-General, the first three months after discharge were particularly critical, as former inmates faced the immediate pressures of securing food, accommodation and other necessities.

Without adequate support, some could turn to former acquaintances who offered them opportunities to earn money through unlawful activities. The resulting frustration and financial hardship could make life outside prison appear less attractive, increasing the risk of reoffending and reincarceration.

Vocational training must lead to jobs

The Director-General also questioned the long-term impact of vocational training programmes when inmates were unable to turn their acquired skills into sustainable livelihoods.

She said the Service had provided training in trades such as tailoring and carpentry for years, but a significant gap remained between learning these skills and securing the means to earn a living from them.

She said the Service was therefore seeking stronger partnerships with industries, factories and private companies to create a direct link between rehabilitation and employment.

Such collaborations, she noted, would demonstrate to inmates that the skills they acquired could provide a viable source of income after their release, while giving them a practical incentive to participate in training.

Ms Baffoe-Bonnie disclosed that, with support from the sector minister, the Service had secured 30 per cent of Ghana Education Service contracts relating to sewing and carpentry.

However, she said the absence of adequate factory infrastructure remained a major obstacle to fulfilling the production requirements and maximising the opportunities presented by the contracts.

She appealed for additional resources and logistical support to establish production facilities, expand rehabilitation activities and measure their impact more effectively.

The Director-General maintained that the Service was ready to advance the initiative but needed the necessary industrial partnerships and infrastructure to make its efforts sustainable.

Expanding production within prisons could allow inmates to gain practical experience, improve their skills and contribute to meeting demand for goods and services. It could also create a pathway to employment after discharge, reducing the likelihood that financial hardship would undermine their reintegration.

24-hour economy could expand employment opportunities

Ms Baffoe-Bonnie also identified Ghana’s 24-hour economy initiative as a potential avenue for creating employment opportunities for inmates and former prisoners.

She proposed developing factories that could be architecturally linked to prison facilities, enabling inmates to undertake productive work while serving their sentences and continue working at the same facilities after their release.

Under the proposed arrangement, former inmates could return to established workplaces rather than having to search for employment without relevant experience or professional connections.

The approach would seek to bridge the gap between vocational training in prison and economic reintegration in the wider community, allowing individuals to earn an income while rebuilding their lives.

Parole and community service to support reintegration

The Director-General further disclosed that the Service was developing plans involving parole and community service to support the transition from imprisonment to community life.

She explained that the proposed approach would enable former inmates to return to their preferred communities while retaining access to productive work, rather than being left idle after discharge.

Under the arrangement she described, individuals could continue working in factories and other productive settings as they re-established themselves outside prison.

The effectiveness of the proposal would depend on the availability of jobs, adequate facilities, cooperation from employers and appropriate supervision and support for former inmates.