Crime and Punishment in the Republic of Ghana: A Country Profile

Appiahene-Gyamfi, Joseph

doi:10.1080/01924036.2009.9678810

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Regarding rates, there were 0.24 suicides per 100,000 resident population in 2006, 0.40 per 100,000 population in 2007, and 0.41 per 100,000 population in 2008 (Adinkrah, 2011b). Official police data covering the past decade suggest rising levels of violent crime in the country (Appiahene-Gyamfi, 2009). For homicide, police-collated data show that the number of murder cases increased from 275 in 1990 to 430 in 2008 (Ghana Police Service, 2010).…”

Section: Ghana: the Research Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intimate Partner Femicide–Suicides in Ghana

Adinkrah

2014

Violence Against Women

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The present study investigated the scope, nature, and determinants of intimate partner femicide-suicides (IPFS) that occurred in Ghana during 1990 to 2009. All 35 reported cases of intimate partner homicide-suicides with female homicide victims that occurred during the study period were extracted from a major Ghanaian daily newspaper. Findings indicate that offenders were of lower socioeconomic background and tended to be older than their victims. The results further show that shooting with a firearm and hacking with a machete were the primary homicide methods, whereas self-inflicted gunshots and hanging were the dominant suicide methods. Results showed that suspicion of infidelity and sexual jealousy were core contributing factors in arguments, disputes, and altercations that preceded the femicide-suicides. Furthermore, estrangement and threatened divorce or separation by the female intimate partner was a major precipitant of femicide-suicides.

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Section: Ghana: the Research Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intimate Partner Femicide–Suicides in Ghana

Adinkrah

2014

Violence Against Women

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“…So, in a majority of minor criminal offences, the police determine and review charges, decide whether to initiate prosecutions and conduct prosecutions in the lower courts (Amagnya, 2011; Appiahene-Gyamfi, 2009). The police service has established Judicial Police (JUPOL) units at the district, divisional, regional and national commands to handle criminal prosecutions (Amagnya, 2011).…”

Section: Police Prosecution In Ghanamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lawyers employed by the state usually prosecute criminal cases on behalf of countries or individuals who make criminal complaints against others. However, in some common-law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and British colonies in the Caribbean and Central America, police officers prosecute misdemeanour cases (Alemika, 2009; Amagnya, 2011; Appiahene-Gyamfi, 2009; Opolot, 2008). When police officers bring charges against a person, present evidence and lead witnesses at trial, it is called police prosecution (USLegal, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Due process in police-led prosecutions: Views of Ghanaian police prosecutors

Amagnya

2022

International Journal of Police Science & Management

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Criminal prosecutions led by police officers are integral to justice delivery in some common-law countries. The cooperation and participation of interested parties, particularly victims and witnesses, are important for successful prosecutions because most police prosecutors are not lawyers. Prosecutors adherence to due process when handling cases can secure parties’ willing cooperation and participation. However, is due processes followed during police-led prosecutions of criminal cases? This study uses interview data from police prosecutors to explore police-led prosecutions in Ghana. Results show that police prosecutors do not pay significant attention to pre-trial conferencing with disputed parties. In addition, prosecutors non-adherence to due process is aggravated by irregular training and professional development, inadequate professional competence, and lack of pre-trial procedural uniformity and clarity. Finally, the article discusses the implication of the results for theory and police prosecution policies.

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“…Unfortunately, law enforcement agencies and investigators in Ghana, many a time, tend to lack the skill and ingenuity to detect and investigate criminal cases and bring perpetrators to book (Appiahene-Gyamfi 2009;Asiedu 2020;Morhe and Morhe 2013). For instance, it is standard practice for the first police officers who arrive at a serious crime scene (such as a murder scene) to secure the place where the body has been found by sealing it with a crime scene perimeter tape.…”

Section: The Criminal Justice System Response To Ritual Paedicidementioning

confidence: 99%

The Superstition that Dismembers the African Child: An Exploration of the Scale and Features of Juju-Driven Paedicide in Ghana

Owusu

2022

Int. ann. criminol.

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Juju-related child homicide or ritual paedicide (i.e. killing children for ritual or occult purposes) has been the subject of many media reports in Africa. The present study explores the evolution, magnitude, motivations and primary features of ritual paedicide, and identifies the socio-cultural, religious and economic contexts of this crime in contemporary Ghana. An in-depth analysis of ritual homicide cases/reports publicized in three local Ghanaian media outlets between 2013 and 2020 was carried out to realize this aim. Semi-structured interviews involving 20 participants were then conducted to gain additional insights into key aspects of the results of the media content analysis. The data demonstrate that juju-involved murders are widespread in Ghana, and the worst victims are children of low socio-economic backgrounds in rural communities. Poor parental supervision is a significant risk factor for ritual paedicide. Perpetrators and prime suspects are predominantly young adult males, aged between 20 and 39 years, unemployed or on a low income. Most perpetrators are motivated by financial gain. The study highlights the need for economic improvement and promoting formal and public education. It also stresses the need to bring juju practitioners under closer scrutiny and criminalize some of their activities.

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Crime and Punishment in the Republic of Ghana: A Country Profile

Cited by 8 publications

References 1 publication

Intimate Partner Femicide–Suicides in Ghana

Intimate Partner Femicide–Suicides in Ghana

Due process in police-led prosecutions: Views of Ghanaian police prosecutors

The Superstition that Dismembers the African Child: An Exploration of the Scale and Features of Juju-Driven Paedicide in Ghana

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