THE CAUSES OF AWAITING TRIAL OF INMATE IN NIGERIAN CORRECTIONAL SERVICE

A CASE STUDY OF JOS CORRECTIONAL CENTER

Abstract

This study examined the problem of Awaiting trial as a practice associated with the correctional services and pending judgement by the appropriate court. The objective of the study is to define the nature, determine the failure of investigation, identify the possible factors, examine the effects and find out possible solutions of awaiting trial of an inmates in Jos correctional service. The total of 100 respondents were selected from 5 units in Jos correctional service. This Comprise 80 awaiting trial inmates, 5 Prison Authority and 5 representatives from the High Court as well as 10 Nigeria Police Force. Frequency Distribution Table was used to process the quantitative data and the qualitative data were analysis based on descriptive statistics. Literature is reviewed from relevant journals, magazines, and newspapers. The finding indicate that, practice of detaining suspects in correctional custody negates the constitutional provision of presumption of innocence. By way of recommendation, there is need to train a new breed of police investigators to catch up with modern methods of criminal investigation, there is need to computerize court proceedings including recording of cases in order to speed up trials and modern prison practices should be introduced such as private prison even though controversial. In conclusion, this research is a contemporary social issue that needs urgent investigation by other researchers to be able to know causes of awaiting trial of inmate in Nigerian correctional service which is going through for possible action.