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This report chapter examines the prosecution system in Sierra Leone as of 2008, detailing the constitutional roles of the Attorney-General, Solicitor-General, and Director of Public Prosecutions. It highlights systemic failures including the politicization of the judiciary, a severe shortage of qualified legal manpower, and the inadequacy of police prosecutors in summary courts. The document calls for legislative updates to the Criminal Procedures Act of 1965 and structural reforms to separate the political and professional functions of the Attorney-General's office.

This foreword introduces a country review of crime and criminal justice in Sierra Leone, produced as part of the second phase of the African Human Security Initiative (AHSI). The initiative aims to complement the NEPAD/APRM process by providing empirical evidence on criminal justice systems to encourage reforms that enhance human security and democracy.

This report chapter examines the state of access to justice in Sierra Leone as of 2008, detailing a bifurcated legal system where the majority of the population relies on customary law. It highlights systemic barriers including poverty, illiteracy, and corruption, while specifically addressing the vulnerabilities of women and children in the justice system. The document also outlines various institutional reforms and NGO-led paralegal initiatives aimed at improving legal reach in rural areas.

This introductory chapter of a 2009 report by the Institute for Security Studies reviews the state of crime and criminal justice in Sierra Leone. It details the systemic damage caused by authoritarian regimes and a decade-long civil war (1991–2002), the subsequent efforts toward security sector reform, the dual nature of the legal system (English and customary law), and persistent human rights challenges within the judiciary and prison systems.

This report evaluates the state of juvenile justice in Sierra Leone as of 2008, focusing on the alignment of national laws and institutional practices with international standards such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It identifies significant gaps in legal definitions of childhood, a lack of specialized juvenile courts, and inadequate detention facilities, noting that children are frequently detained with adults or held arbitrarily due to systemic inefficiencies.

This executive summary of a 2008 country review by the Institute for Security Studies examines the state of crime and criminal justice in Sierra Leone. It details how a history of authoritarianism and a civil war (1991–2002) led to the collapse of state infrastructure and the justice system. While post-conflict reforms have focused on the police and armed forces, the report finds systemic failures across policing, prosecution, prisons, the judiciary, and juvenile justice, including outdated laws, severe underfunding, and corruption.

This report chapter examines the customary justice system in Sierra Leone, a dual legal structure where informal local courts provide the primary means of justice for most citizens, particularly in provinces. While generally viewed positively by users, the system suffers from severe institutional decay, lack of funding, and discriminatory practices against women and juveniles.

The document outlines the conclusions and recommendations from a regional workshop held in Libreville, Gabon, from 21-23 May 2009. The workshop, jointly organized by the African Union (AU) Commission and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), focused on implementing the African Union Border Programme (AUBP) and the ECCAS Border Programme (ECCAS-BP) within Central Africa.

This report provides a comprehensive review of the crime and criminal justice system in Sierra Leone as of 2008, examining policing, prosecution, prisons, the judiciary, and access to justice. It highlights the systemic collapse of these institutions during the civil war (1991–2002) and the subsequent challenges in reconstruction, including severe underfunding, corruption, politicisation, and a dual legal system that creates disparities between urban and rural justice.

This research paper analyzes the socio-economic dynamics of the mining industry in Kalima, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically comparing the impacts of industrial mining (historically led by Sominki and later Sakima) with current artisanal mining of cassiterite. The author argues that artisanal mining provides better employment, higher incomes, and more democratic working conditions for the local population than the previous industrial model, despite a decline in social services and local agriculture.

A briefing by the Institute for Security Studies detailing the security landscape and policing strategies for the 2009 South African general elections, highlighting specific areas of political tension and the deployment of police resources.

This report summarizes a seminar held on 8 April 2009 in Addis Ababa regarding the operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF). The ASF is a key component of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), designed to enable the African Union (AU) to respond to conflicts and prevent atrocities such as genocide and war crimes. While the AU aimed for the ASF to be operational by 2010, the seminar highlighted significant gaps in civilian and police components, logistics, funding, and legal clarity regarding the AU's right of intervention versus UN Security Council authority.

This executive summary details the state of the criminal justice system in Zambia, highlighting systemic failures in policing, the judiciary, and the prison system. It identifies pervasive corruption, severe resource shortages, and human rights violations as primary obstacles to the rule of law and public security.

This document outlines the human development status of Zambia, noting improvements in rural poverty, primary education enrolment, and child mortality between the late 1990s and mid-2000s. However, it highlights significant ongoing challenges, including high overall extreme poverty, declining girls' school attendance ratios, rising maternal mortality, a high number of AIDS orphans, and an inefficient justice system.

This document is a master questionnaire developed by the African Human Security Initiative (AHSI2) to assess the efficacy of the criminal justice system in selected African countries, specifically as a complement to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It provides a structured framework of questions and indicators to evaluate state capacity, adherence to international human rights standards, and the functionality of policing, prosecution, the judiciary, and prison systems.

This report examines the Zambia Prison Service, detailing systemic failures including severe overcrowding, chronic underfunding, and human rights abuses. It highlights the disproportionate number of remandees, the lack of specialized facilities for women and juveniles, and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The document also outlines the Offender Management Programme and recent government efforts to improve transport and uniforms, while recommending structural reforms such as the establishment of a national parole board and a prisons ombudsman.

This report chapter examines the legal framework, organizational capacity, and public perception of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Zambia. It highlights significant challenges regarding the office's independence, lack of geographic representation, and the reliance on untrained police officers for lower court prosecutions. The document details a draft national criminal prosecution policy from 2000 that remains unimplemented and provides recommendations to enhance the autonomy and transparency of the prosecutorial service.

This report examines the customary criminal justice system in Zambia, a plural legal framework where informal traditional courts operate parallel to the state's formal judiciary. While the system is valued for its accessibility, speed, and restorative focus, it lacks official state recognition and often conflicts with constitutional human rights, particularly regarding gender equality and the rights of women and children.

This report chapter examines the nature and extent of crime in Zambia, highlighting systemic issues in the criminal justice system, pervasive corruption in public institutions, and the challenges of combating drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal migration.

This report, published by the Institute for Security Studies in April 2009 as part of the African Human Security Initiative (AHSI), evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Zambia. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, including desktop research, interviews, and focus groups with 1,000 respondents across various provinces. It examines the legal framework, the role of law enforcement, the judiciary, prisons, and customary justice, while highlighting significant challenges in accessing official crime statistics and government records.