Properties of Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres in Ghana

Ghana’s law prescribes juvenile incarceration centres as the destination for delinquent children not only to serve as punishment, but also to rehabilitate or correct and reintegrate them into society. This study examines the nature and state of rehabilitation centres; the programmes and treatment to which juveniles are subjected. Data from 41 detained juveniles in the Swedru Juvenile Correctional Centre and the Junior Juvenile Correction Centre, Osu, Accra, as well as key informant interview conducted with 5 officers in the two correctional centres, was collected and analyzed through a mixed-method research approach. The findings show there is not enough food for the juveniles, albeit regularly served thrice daily. The children are allowed to cook food to compliment the food provided by their centres. There was enough space for the juveniles to operate and sleep contrary to the narrative in adult prison facilities. This coincides with low population of juveniles relative to the capacity of the centres. The training and treatment programmes run in the centres include literacy training, vocational skills training, medical treatment along with counselling and psychological programmes for the wellbeing of the juveniles. The findings show that the juveniles are not learning anything new in the centres.