Crime & Punishment of Friday, 22 November 2013

Source: tv3network.com

Police worried over rising number of ex-convicts in crime

The Ghana Police Service has expressed frustration at the rising number of ex-convicts re-arrested for crime, in recent times.

According to the police, this is worrying and it calls for national brainstorming.

These were expressed by the Greater Accra Region Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, in Accra on Thursday. “It is a big problem that we all have to brainstorm to find solution to,” he said.

He said criminals arrested by the police “are people who were sent to prison whether discharged, they got justice for all, have presidential pardon or people who are sentenced and then they came back and go back to commit the same crime.”

He said there is also a rising number of youth involved and they wield sophisticated weapons.

DCOP Yohuno was also concerned some criminals are becoming incorrigible, calling for reforms to incarceration terms.

“There are others too because families have rejected them, they feel shy that people will be pointing fingers at them. It is a big societal problem.”