LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE TO THE UNITED NATIONS MINIMUM STANDARDS (NELSON MANDELA RULES, 2015) ON HEALTHCARE NEEDS AND TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS IN KANO CENTRAL AND GORON-DUTSE PRISONS OF KANO STATE, NORTHWESTERN NIGERI

Abstract

Prison health is an integral part of public health concern. In this regard, addressing healthcare in prisons is central to any public health framework geared towards promoting health care. In view of the great variety of legal, social, economic and geographical conditions of the world, the United Nations developed the Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Offenders in 1955 which is now revised in the year 2015 and named after Nelson Mandela. They represent, as a whole, the minimum conditions which are accepted as suitable by the United Nations. This study examined the state of compliance to the Health provisionsof the Minimum Standards in Kano Central and GoronDutse Prisons. It utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods in collecting data from convicted prisoners and awaiting trial inmates and healthcare officials in the prisons. A total of 350 inmates were proportionately selected across convicts and awaiting trial inmates using Stratified Sampling technique as suggested by Wiseman’s 1999 table of sample size. Two (2) other respondents (healthcare officials) were purposively selected for interviews. The study revealed some shortfalls especially in the area of assessing prisoner’s health condition and associated risks before admission into the prison.