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The Criminal Justice System In Nigeria
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1.2 Statement of the Problem
The courts-prisons interact
within the criminal justice system is geared towards prompt justice
delivery and rehabilitation of offenders. Most recently, it is an issue
of concern in the national dailies, subject of discussion by citizens
and legal practitioners on how the system has degenerated, yet it has
persisted unabated. According to Brown (n.d), “the various reasons why
the courts could not sit, or when they sat could not mention a matter
but adjourn to a future date frustrates effort of the prisons officersâ€.
The courts never considered how prisons officers feel returning with
offenders to base with directive to reproduce same offenders on the
adjourned date. The situation could be worse considering distance
covered, poor state of roads, logistics and financial position of the
prisons. The prisons’ effort to meet with their routine obligation as
well as service several courts within the jurisdiction has created
problems. The courts inability to effectively and timely dispose of
cases and/or the prisons to continue to house offenders without trial in
courts, have further compounded the problems.
Hence, the study
intends to probe into how the situation has constituted the failure of
the criminal justice system. To that extent, the study will aim at
proffering solution as to stem the tide and better the lot for the
justice system. It will also win the hope for justice by the common man.
The situation necessitated in-depth investigation into the courts -
prisons relationship in Nigeria with particular reference to Abia State.
In sum, many scholars have written on the criminal justice system as a
whole and the specific structures therein, namely: the police, courts,
and prisons. There is no known study in Nigeria that is concerned with
the contretemps in the relationship between the courts and the prisons
in the course of justice delivery. This is the essence of this study
with a view to making the criminal justice system more effective, hence
the need for a rethinking.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The
main objective of this study is to ascertain and appraise the
work-relationship between the courts and the prisons in the criminal
justice system in Abia State. The subsidiary objectives of the study
include the following:
To find out factors that hinder criminal
justice agencies, particularly the courts and the prisons in the
discharge of their duties.
To find out the extent of ethics adherence by the courts and the prisons.
To ascertain what causes delay in court proceedings which ultimately affect justice delivery in Abia state.
To
investigate how the criminal justice agencies, particularly, courts and
the prisons in Abia State can co-operate more in the course of justice
delivery.
To make suggestion and recommendations for a more reliable and efficient Justice delivery in Abia State.
1.4 Research questions
The following questions guide this study:
i. What are the factors that could hinder criminal justice
agencies in discharging their duties in Abia State?
ii. What is the extent of ethics adherence by criminal justice agencies in Abia State?
iii. What are the factors which causes delay in court
proceedings that affect justice delivery in Abia State?
iv. In what ways do criminal justice agencies co-operate in justice delivery in Abia State?
v. In what ways can criminal justice system be improved in Abia State?
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