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NewsDay

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AMHVoices: Prison Services’ work highly applauded

AMH Voices
Firstly, persons convicted of offences are punished to teach them a lesson so they realise the folly of their ways and that by being placed in the prison, they have not achieved anything.

THE work done by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) is highly applauded.

By Pardon Makunike,Our Reader

Firstly, persons convicted of offences are punished to teach them a lesson so they realise the folly of their ways and that by being placed in the prison, they have not achieved anything.

No wonder why Bindura Prison is called “Chawagonahapana” (There is nothing you have achieved by coming here).

In addition, the imprisonment serves as a warning to other people that crime does not pay.

Nevertheless, for those convicted of murder with actual intent, capital punishment is serving as retribution, like what the Bible says: “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” though it is a subject debated in the corridors for its abolition.

The major activity by ZPCS is rehabilitation as a way of reforming the criminals

Our prisoners are rehabilitated and taught life skills that may become useful to both the criminals and the communities upon release from jail.

This is despite the fact that ZPCS is financially and materially constrained.

Yet it is expected to properly maintain inmates although they would be overcrowded.

I am not saying going to prison is a good thing, but our justice system is a warning against those who are criminally inclined, so that they keep their behaviour in check.

Our criminal law is like a security guard who is assigned to watch over premises or any other property. The presence of a security guard scares away would-be offenders.

If anyone steals or commits a criminal act at the guarded property, they are likely to be arrested. So the arrests are coming after prevention fails.

Many convicted accused persons get penalties ranging from warnings to community service, fines, imprisonment and/or capital punishment.

In this case, the ZPCS efforts are highly-applauded for its commitment to achieve a crime-free society.