2. Gaining Entry and Acceptance into
Prisons
Relevance of your programme to the prisons as an
institution and to the needs of inmates. Is your
intervention aligned to the Prisons strategic plan or
priorities?
What challenges are your interventions going to address?
What value addition is your programme to both the
institution and the inmates? E.g. PAS helps to engage the
prisons Social workers
How different is your intervention from the already
existing interventions by prisons and other LASPs?
3. What you need to know about the
Prisons Population
There are different categories of Prisoners
Have high expectations from whoever comes in to assist
them
They expect “quick fixes”
Often do not tell the truth at the onset . Therefore you
need to verify their information and be patient.
Some inmates are suspicious of betrayal and as such may
conceal information if they do not trust you.
They want positive feed back and not condemnation.
4. What you need to know about the
Prisons Population
Inmates want to be treated as individuals and not
numbers. They desire privacy while discussing their
individual cases
They want to know the truth about their fate so do not
promise to intervene in cases where you are unable to do
so in practical terms e.g promising community service
sentence in case of Plea of guilty
Not all inmates are charged with criminal offences, some
may be in prison having been committed to civil prison
(Civil matter).
5. Getting Started – what you need to know
You ought to have clearance and permission from prisons’ authorities in order
to have access to the prisoners
Develop rapport with the prisons authorities and make yourself approachable
by inmates
Respect of the prison’s routine program and protocol to avoid interference/
inconvenience
Make your contact period with the inmates certain. Avoid surprise visits
Have basic knowledge in criminal law and procedure in order to properly
advise the prisoners
6. Getting Started – what you need to know
Beware some inmates may have some practical experience in criminal
processes having had some exposure in court and having heard word of
caution from fellow inmates. So you ought to be on top of your game lest you
be challenged by the ‘all knowing inmates’.
Always tell the inmates the truth in respect to their cases (pursuant to the
law), even though that may appear discouraging.
Give timely feedback, promise only what you can deliver
7. Caution on what you need to do or avoid
Do not get emotionally attached to inmates by personalizing their problems
Do not give your personal telephone contacts with inmates. They can use it
for the wrong purpose since some of them are habitual offenders.
Gender insensitivity. Males intervening in the females section and vice versa
without proper guidance.
You need to respect the Prisons rules and regulations e.g. Do not be used by
inmates to bring in or take out uncensored materials or illegal materials.
Submit yourself for security checks
Be sensitive to gender requirements. If possible have female staff working
with females. Females who have to work with males should always be
accompanied by male colleagues.
Remember to dress decently and not provocatively
8. Best Practices from PAS
We need to use creative ways of raising awareness. PAS has successfully used
drama to sensitize inmates.
Inmates need to hear from the JLOS institution representatives. PAS has
mobilized the Police, Magistrates, State Attorneys, Community Service
Officers and Advocates to address inmates.
PAS has also engaged inmates and trained them to deliver information to
fellow inmates
Linking inmates to: relatives/friends/ relevant in institutions/ authorities by
phone and through physical contacts to offer additional services
Engage individual inmates to offer psychosocial support.
Work with other Legal aid service providers and government structures e.g.
attending district coordination committee meetings.
9. Working Partnerships
Legal aid is very vast and as such there is no single partner that is self
sufficient. There is need to use partnerships to provide a holistic legal aid
service. You may not be able to provide all types of legal aid.
NGOs get involved in legal aid service provision due to an existing lacuna by a
state agency. There is therefore need to partner with Government agencies
like the police, DPP’s office, judiciary and prisons to provide legal aid services
There is need to have partners to whom you can refer clients or receive
referrals for comprehensive legal aid service.
Partnership with government structures e.g. JLOS working groups, Regional
and District Coordination committees help to address issues and challenges
with policy makers.
12. Preamble
The purpose of the code is to provide clear guidance to,
and regulate the conduct of Paralegals and Social Workers
both within and outside the Criminal Justice Institutions
including; Uganda Police Force, Magistrates’ Courts,
Uganda Prisons and the Offices of the Resident State
Attorneys. The Code further promotes the trust and
confidence of the relevant authorities within the above
mentioned institutions in the Paralegals and Social
Workers while respecting their independence and
integrity.
13. Preamble Contd
Paralegals and Social workers working in
the Criminal Justice Institutions will be
bound at all times by this code of conduct.
Accordingly, I the undersigned, agree to the
following;
14. To access and interact with officers of the
criminal justice institutions as well as persons
in conflict with the law only with official
authorization from the respective
authorities. Even when prior consent of
authorities has been granted, to abide by any
decision withholding right of admission.
1
15. To clearly identify myself with a valid identity card
with my designation as a Paralegal or Social worker
and wear a uniform bearing the label of the
Paralegal Advisory Services while on the premises
of the Criminal Justice Institutions.
2
16. To work in cooperation with the respective
Criminal Justice Institution authorities at all times
and seek the advice and guidance of relevant staff
in the above mentioned institutions when in
doubt. In particular, to notify the relevant
authorities in good time of dates and times of
proposed visits and to advice promptly of any
cancellation.
3
17. To submit at all times to the authority of officials
of the respective Criminal Justice Institutions
including the right of Security staff to search my
person.
4
18. To hold open meetings with suspects/prisoners as
well as their relatives and welcome the attendance
of the holding facility staff or court official.
5
19. In exercising my duties in the Criminal Justice
Institutions, I shall not accept bribes from
suspects, prisoner’s or their relatives and friends
at any time.
6
20. To refuse any meeting with a suspect/prisoner to
which the rules of confidentiality should apply
unless either the consent of the authorities has
been requested and granted beforehand, or in the
company of a certified legal practitioner or other
member of a formal body.
7
21. To refuse any request made to me by a
suspect/prisoner or relative/friend that may
compromise the security of the Criminal Justice
Institution and specifically, not to communicate
messages (verbal or written), or any item
whatsoever (concealed or openly) for a
suspect/prisoner or relative/friend or the
suspect/prisoner without censoring from the
relevant authorities.
8
22. To withdraw promptly from any scene in which the
holding facility (Police or Prison) staff and
suspect/prisoner are in dispute.
9
23. To quit the holding facility premises i.e. police and
prison promptly at invitation of a recognized staff
member.
10
24. Not to be alone in a police cell or a prison ward
with a child or adult of the opposite sex. A third
party should always be present.
11
25. To refer any communication from the press to the
public relations officer of the relevant criminal
justice institution or the Paralegal Advisory
Services coordinating team; and not to issue any
press statement or otherwise communicate to the
press about the criminal justice institutions myself
save through the channels prescribed.
Communication with the public
12
26. ____________________________________ ____________________________________
Paralegal/Social worker Signature
____________________________________
Date
Witnessed by
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Name Signature
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Designation Date
