By Henry Ojelu

Stakeholders in Lagos State’s justice sector have called for the wider application of community service orders, increased funding, and stronger partnerships to enhance offender rehabilitation and reduce pressure on correctional facilities.

The call was made at the Stakeholders’ Sensitization Programme on the Community Service Scheme organised by the Community Service Unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja.

The programme brought together representatives of the judiciary, law firms, civil society organisations, corporate bodies, government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders to examine ways of strengthening the Community Service Scheme as a non-custodial sentencing option and a key component of restorative justice.

In a keynote address delivered on behalf of the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the Solicitor-General/Permanent Secretary by Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Adebayo Haroun, the state government reaffirmed its commitment to justice sector reforms through effective non-custodial measures.

Haroun said community service plays a vital role in offender rehabilitation, reintegration, public safety and the reduction of recidivism.

Participants were also briefed on the operations, objectives and achievements of the scheme and heard testimonies from beneficiaries who shared experiences on how the programme had positively transformed their lives.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, stakeholders observed that the Community Service Scheme had remained “an effective alternative sentencing mechanism that promotes offender accountability, rehabilitation and reintegration.”

They noted that the scheme had contributed significantly to the advancement of restorative justice principles and the decongestion of correctional facilities, while counselling, mentorship and psychosocial support provided under the programme had improved offenders’ chances of successful reintegration into society.

The participants, however, expressed concern over limited public awareness of the scheme, saying greater sensitisation was required to improve understanding of its objectives and benefits.

They also identified stigmatization and social exclusion as major obstacles to the successful reintegration of offenders, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among government institutions, the private sector, civil society groups and community leaders.

The stakeholders further observed that access to mentorship, skills acquisition and employment opportunities remained critical to reducing reoffending and promoting social reintegration.

They urged the government to strengthen institutional support for the Community Service Unit through adequate funding, capacity building and provision of operational resources.

The communiqué also called on development partners and corporate organisations to support rehabilitation, reintegration and public awareness initiatives through strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation.

Participants recommended the wider use of community service orders for appropriate environmental offences, noting that such measures could promote environmental restoration, public sanitation and community development while ensuring offender accountability.

Among the resolutions adopted, stakeholders pledged to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, encourage corporate organisations to support rehabilitation through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, vocational training and employment opportunities, and promote structured mentorship programmes for offenders.

They also resolved to encourage legal practitioners to advocate the use of community service and other non-custodial sentencing options in suitable cases, intensify public awareness campaigns on restorative justice, and strengthen child justice interventions.

Other resolutions included addressing discrimination against offenders, improving accountability and grievance-redress mechanisms, enhancing information-sharing among stakeholders and advocating increased funding for the Community Service Unit.

The stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Community Service Scheme as “a critical instrument for advancing restorative justice, offender rehabilitation and criminal justice reform in Lagos State.”

They further pledged to sustain collaboration and mobilise resources needed to build “a more inclusive, rehabilitative and responsive justice system that promotes public safety, offender reintegration and community development.”