By Esther Wright
In a powerful address to over 200 inmates at the overcrowded Male Correctional Centre in Bo, Acting Chief Justice, Nicholas C. Browne-Marke, has on August 31, 2024 called on the community to embrace “community parenting” as a solution to the rising crime rate in the region.
The Chief Justice’s remarks came as he visited the facility, which was originally designed to house 80 inmates but now holds more than 240. Approximately 90% of the inmates are under the age of 30, raising significant concerns about the future of the young population in Sierra Leone.
“As a parent myself, it pains me to see so many young people behind bars,” Justice Browne-Marke said. “How can we talk about a future that belongs to the youth when so many are incarcerated?”
The Acting Chief Justice emphasized that the increasing involvement of young people in criminal activities is alarming. He called for a revival of community parenting, a traditional approach where the responsibility of raising children extends beyond individual families to the entire community.
Highlighting the urgent need for action, Justice Browne-Marke noted that the recent Prison Court exercise, which resulted in the release of over 100 inmates and the granting of bail to others, has not alleviated the problem. The Male Correctional Centre is once again overcrowded, underscoring the necessity for collaborative efforts from community leaders, paramount chiefs, religious figures and parents to address the crisis.
Chief Superintendent, David Kamara, Manager of the Correctional Centre, reported that the facility currently houses 249 inmates, including 66 on remand and 72 on trial. He acknowledged that without the recent Prison Court exercise, the numbers would be even higher. However, with new court facilities and a standby generator for electricity, the judicial process for trial and remand inmates is expected to proceed more efficiently.
Resident Judge Hon. Justice Abu Bakarr Sannoh, who also serves the Kenema district, informed the Chief Justice that many of the remand and trial inmates are on bail with flexible conditions. He pointed out that difficulty in meeting bail conditions are often due to the inmates’ lack of reliable sureties, as many are from outside Bo and came to the city for employment.
Local resident, Mohamed Sowa, praised the Chief Justice’s call for community parenting, highlighting the impact of illegal substances like Kush on community safety and child-rearing. “With the rise of harmful drugs, our communities have become unsafe for raising children, making the traditional community-based approach to parenting more important than ever,” Mohamed Sowa said.
The Acting Chief Justice’s call to action reflects a growing recognition that tackling crime and supporting youth requires a collective effort from all sectors of society.
