Lagos Stakeholders Advocate Community Service for Minor Offenders

In Lagos State, stakeholders, including the Ministry of Justice and community service officials, are pushing for more community service as a means to decongest prisons and rehabilitate minor offenders. The emphasis is on restorative justice, human rights, and community participation in the justice system.

The initiative aims to shift focus from punishment to dignity restoration, victim empowerment, and reducing stigma associated with imprisonment. Low awareness and misconceptions about community service remain challenges, with efforts to increase referrals from the judiciary and police.

The program is supervised by the Ministry of Justice and supported by organizations like the European Union and ROLAC.