Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has introduced a new bill in Parliament aimed at amending the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).
The proposed amendment introduces community service and a Bond of Good Behaviour as alternatives to traditional custodial sentences and fines, particularly for minor offenses.
Mr. Sosu initiated the bill on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. Community service, in the context of criminal justice, involves individuals who have committed offenses performing unpaid work or service for the benefit of the community.
This can include activities such as cleaning public spaces, participating in environmental projects, working in community centers, or assisting with social services.
A Bond of Good Behaviour, on the other hand, is a court-ordered condition imposed on individuals involved in criminal activity. It is part of a sentence and is intended to ensure that the person behaves lawfully and responsibly during a specified period.
In a statement regarding the amendment, the MP highlighted that community service or the Bond of Good Behaviour would offer offenders the opportunity to contribute their time and efforts to community-oriented projects.
“In the first place, this proposal provides an alternative to Custodial Sentence and Fines: Community service and Bond of Good behaviour serve as an alternative to traditional forms of punishment, such as imprisonment or payment of fines. It allows offenders to remain in the community while still being held accountable for their actions. This also helps to decongest the prisons. As at December 2023, Ghana’s prison population stands at 13,200 despite an authorized capacity of 9,945 giving an overcrowding rate of 32.65 percent. An introduction of Community Service would go a long way to resolve this challenge.”
“Again, with the punishment evolving, Restorative Justice is currently the way to go: Community service and Bond of Good behaviour are a perfect example of restorative justice where the community turns to benefit directly from offenders. Through the unpaid services to the community, offenders are given the opportunity to repair the harm they caused to individuals or the community, fostering a sense of responsibility and accountability,” he stated.