Surviving Zambia Harsh Prisons: This article focuses on Zambia as a country with a concealed prison problem that highlights the conditions of congested prisons, absented prisoners, and the psychological effects of imprisonment.
As the world advances thousands of prisoners stay behind locked bars struggling to endure not only the incarceration but the torture of being away from their loved ones.
In the middle of this tragedy, one can read stories of inmates such as William, who has been remanded for more than two years but still has no justice.
His story tells a lot about a justice system that is slow, unresponsive, and in dire want of capacity to attend to the number of people it is expected to serve.
The Reality of Overcrowded Prisons in Zambia
Zambia’s prison population has remained high, with numbers rising to proportions that are way beyond the carrying capacity of the correctional service.
Most of these inmates including William are detained in very congested cells with little chance of being produced in court. Some take years to wait, and some are forced to stay in extremely unfavorable living conditions that tend to deny them even basic human rights.
In pre independence Zambia a prison was conceived to contain a few hundred prisoners but today it can contain thousands. These facilities do not have proper sanitation, clean water, and health care services.
They sleep from floor to floor, and no space is available to extend one’s body or at least come close to giving a modicum of privacy. Illnesses easily infect people living in such congested areas and health care is usually limited and people die unnecessarily.
Separation from Family: A Deep Emotional Wound
While William could care less about the congestion, he feels the worst suffering is the lack of connection with his daughter. It was six months since he had had a glimpse of her.
Some of the effects of solitary confinement include: isolation that robs prisoners of any incentive to live and most of them become very depressed.
William’s fear and doubt at the end of the episode about his daughter’s safety and security give rise to many INMATES’ true nature. In records, such as ‘Being Forgotten’, these prisoners’ lives do not represent an imaginative possibility but are rather daily realities.
The wives such as William’s wife are always in doubt about the safety of their relatives, the ability for the relatives to find new partners or in case they find them.
A Broken Justice System and Its Victims
The situation in Zambia is that many are detained on remand for long periods due to the slow judicial system. Most are not even convicted, yet they go through similar, if not worse treatment as those who have been sentenced. This absence of a conclusion puts them in despair.
Desperation and hopelessness over two years have destroyed William’s identity and hope for the future. He is also struggling to reason with his family, especially his companion because his actions are rigid.
The erosion of relationships is a shared theme among Zambian prisoners, who are stripped of most of their connections and don’t know if they will ever be released again.
The Role of Family in Rehabilitation
This hope is based on the chance of being reunited with his daughter after escaping from his terrible situation. Education for the prisoners cannot be made through justice alone but through family as well.
Allowing inmates to see their families is something that gives them hope and something to work on in prison.
In William’s case, a counselor at the Central Correction Facility assisted in arranging communication between him and his partner who was no longer on good terms.
This basic form of communication was a relief to my feelings even though it did mean having to endure a broken heart. His partner stated that she had gotten back with her husband, information that was as painful as any, a clear indication of the toll long-term imprisonment plays on the psychological well-being of an individual.
Rehabilitation and Reform: A Long Way to Go
As it is today, most prisons in Zambia lack the necessary resources for the proper delivery of rehabilitation services. Consistent with findings made in the case of William, offenders are not provided the necessary resources to ensure they are returned to society.
Education, vocation and counseling activities can help to transform many inmates and give them a second chance to turn a new leaf on parole. But these services are severely wanting.
It is, therefore, clear that reform is badly needed in Zambia’s prison system. New international standards for the treatment of prisoners, a reduction in prison overcrowding, and the speeding up of trials could help to stop such a tragedy as William’s becoming the rule rather than the exception.
Conclusion: Forgotten Lives, Unspoken Stories
William’s experience is an example of the plight of many thousands of prisoners in Zambia and other parts of the world where correctional facilities have morphed into mere detention centers with no concern for reforming the prisoners.
While more and more detainees remain confined in cold, cramped, and forsaken cells, the voices for change become louder.
For such a prison system to be reformed, it needs more than physical upgrades, it needs a change in the culture of how Zambian society treats its prisoners.
These are not just criminals; these are fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, people whose lives still do count, whose stories are still worth telling.
The video below delves into aspects of this topic that we couldn’t fully explore in the article. Watching it will provide you with deeper insight and a more comprehensive understanding of the issues discussed.
Key Takeaways:
- Overcrowded Prisons: Zambian prisons exceed capacity, creating inhumane conditions where disease, malnutrition, and emotional breakdowns are rampant.
- Emotional Toll: Inmates, like William, suffer deep emotional scars from family separation, which often leads to the breakdown of relationships.
- Judicial Delays: Thousands of prisoners remain on remand for years without trial, waiting in uncertainty and enduring the same conditions as convicted inmates.
- Rehabilitation Needs: Zambia’s prisons lack proper rehabilitation programs, leaving inmates without the tools they need to reintegrate into society.
By raising awareness of these issues, we can push for change that gives inmates a second chance at life and a fair shot at rehabilitation. The time for reform is now.
Surviving Zambia Harsh Prisons Disclaimer
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post titled 'Surviving Zambia Harsh Prisons' are our own and do not reflect official military views. The information provided is for general purposes only. While we strive to ensure its accuracy and timeliness, we make no warranties, express or implied, regarding its completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability.