The Executive Director of Crime Check Foundation, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, has called for people released from prison to be described as “returning citizens” rather than “ex-convicts” to encourage their acceptance and reintegration into society.
He said the term “ex-convict” carries a negative social stigma that can expose former prisoners to discrimination and rejection, making it difficult for them to rebuild their lives after serving their sentences.
Speaking on The Law with Samson Lardy on JoyNews on Sunday, November 8, Mr Kwarteng said his observations during a visit to a prison facility in the United States had reinforced the need to reconsider how society refers to people who have served time in prison.
He argued that the continued use of the label “ex-convict” could have adverse psychological and social effects on former prisoners, undermining their confidence and making them feel unwelcome in their communities.
“They are returning citizens, not ex-convicts. Because, in international best practices, if you look at what is happening in Europe and America, I was at a prison facility in the USA last year, and I got to know some of the best practices. There is a lot of literature that tells us that if we continue to use the ex-convict tag, it does not help in proper reintegration,” he said.
Mr Kwarteng believes adopting the expression “returning citizens” would offer a more welcoming alternative by recognising that people who have served their sentences are returning to society and deserve an opportunity to rebuild their lives.
He said the change in terminology should form part of broader efforts to support former prisoners and reduce the stigma that often follows them after their release.
The Crime Check Foundation is therefore advocating the adoption of the term in Ghana to encourage a more accepting attitude towards people who have completed their prison sentences.
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