Sierra Leone A country review of crime and criminal justice, 2008 African Human Security Initiative Monograph 160 May 2009 Contents Acknowledgements . v Foreword . vi List of tables . viii List of acronyms . ix Executive summary . xii Chapter 1 Introduction . 1 Overviewx . 1 Aims and objectives of the review . 3 Methodology . 3 The Sierra Leone legal system . 5 Human rights and the criminal justice system . 6 Chapter 2 Policing . 9 Introduction . 9 The Sierra Leone Police: a background . 10 Constitutional and institutional framework of the Sierra Leone Police . 11 Sierra Leone Police command structure . 17 The eff ectiveness of the Sierra Leone Police in combating crime . 21 Police/community partnerships in combating crime . 22 Incidence of corruption in the Sierra Leone Police . 23 Public perception of the Sierra Leone Police . 24 Monograph 160 i Sierra Leone: A country review of crime and criminal justice, 2008 Decentralisation of the Sierra Leone Police . 24 Politicisation of the Sierra Leone Police . 25 Disciplinary measures in the Sierra Leone Police . 26 The Police Act and the needs of modern-day policing . 26 Underfunding of the Sierra Leone Police . 27 Use of bail, arrest without warrant and corruption . 28 Constraints militating against eff ective policing in Sierra Leone . 29 Recommendations . 29 Chapter 3 Prosecution . 31 Introduction . 31 Constitutional framework of the prosecution services . 32 Institutional arrangements of the prosecution services . 33 Prosecution and the shortage of State Counsels . 35 Links between the Offi ce of the Director of Public Prosecutions and other agencies . 36 Problem areas in the prosecution services . 36 Summary of prosecutorial problems in Sierra Leone . 37 Recommendations . 38 Chapter 4 Prisons . 39 Introduction . 39 Constitutional and legal framework of the Prisons Service . 40 Prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners . 41 Arrests and prosecutions. 44 Prisons Service administration and budgets . 49 Compliance with international protocols and conventions . 53 Summary of fi ndings . 56 Recommendations . 56 Chapter 5 The Judiciary . 59 Introduction and background . 59 ii Institute for Security Studies African Human Security initiative The juridical framework and structure of the judiciary . 63 Independence of the judiciary . 64 The death penalty in Sierra Leone . 66 The institutional capacity of the judiciary . 67 Conclusions . 70 Recommendations . 71 Chapter 6 Access to justice . 73 General overview on access to justice in Sierra Leone . 73 Access to justice for children in confl ict with the law . 77 Access to justice for women . 77 Access to justice for the marginalised . 79 Other eff orts to make justice accessible . 82 Recommendations . 85 Chapter 7 Juvenile justice . 87 Introduction . 87 Constitutional and institutional arrangements for delivering juvenile justice . 88 Lack of appropriate training . 99 Institutional capacity and statutory safeguards . 99 Juvenile justice reforms . 100 Domestication of human rights legislation concerning juveniles . 102 Implementation problems . 103 Summary of fi ndings . .104 Recommendations . ..