Project Manager of POS Foundation, Sylvester Anthony Appiah-Honny is advocating for alternative sentencing to replace custodial sentencing.

According to him, the current prison system is not reformative or restorative enough, resulting in individuals who are incarcerated sometimes becoming worse off than when they entered jail.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Law', he said alternative sentencing would help reduce the influx of people going to prison.

He emphasised that individuals who have committed petty offenses should not be placed in the same jail as hardened criminals, as they may end up forming associations with them.

Mr Appiah-Honny stated that when these individuals are released from prison and cannot find jobs, the stigmatisation by society and the lack of support can lead them back to their prison associations, subsequently pushing them into committing first-degree and second-degree felonies.

He highlighted that such individuals often return to prison with higher offenses.

Mr Appiah-Honny stressed that introducing alternatives to incarceration allows for reformation without exposing individuals to the unfavorable conditions of prison.

Additionally, he mentioned that alternative sentencing would help ease the government's budget constraints.

“Instead of we sending the person to prison to be fed on taxpayers' money, let us make alternatives. Because even with the fines, if these people example the poor people, they are unable to pay, automatically sometimes the judgement is such a way that if you are unable to pay, you go through custodial sentencing.

"So let's make ways to put these people to ‘use’ for the country or the community so instead of taking you to the prison, go and sleep Makola. Distill the gutters and do other menial that would be beneficial to that state," he said.