What We Do

The Institute aims to promote high quality research and teaching on crime and justice in Africa. It provides training for professionals in the fields of crime and justice  (police officers, prosecutors, judges, prison officers, probation officers, and private security providers) in evidence based approach to crime prevention and justice delivery.  It also seeks to facilitate international collaboration between Africa and other areas of the world on specific themes of mutual interest.

We conduct high quality research on crime and criminal justice issues in Africa.  Our researchers are highly trained and experts in their respective field of research. Ongoing projects and research areas include:

• Death penalty in Africa
• Nature of the criminal law
• Evidence-based criminal justice practice
• Crime Statistics: Measurement and Uses
• Legitimacy and Public Confidence in CJS
• Gender based violence and abuse
• Young offenders and the criminal justice system
• Corruption and corporate crime
• Police and criminal justice reforms
• Forensics and effective crime investigation techniques
• Penology, sentencing and prison performance
• Crime reporting and the media
• Organisational culture and change management

The Institute runs series of workshops and conferences on key criminal justice issues of relevance to Africa. Workshops and conference themes are focused on areas such as

• institutional corruption and abuse of power
• the death penalty
• criminal justice reforms
• crime and violence
• victimisation experiences and related costs
• crime investigation and witness testimony
• crime prevention techniques
• managing change in the criminal justice system
• prison overcrowding and security implications
• gender based violence
• criminal networks and proliferation of small arms
• translating evidence into policy

Criminal Justice Professionals: police officers, criminal lawyers, prosecutors, prison officer

We provide training and support to criminal justice professionals, which includes police officers, criminal lawyers, prosecutors, prison office. We believe that the time is right to focus on building the skills and capacities of criminal justice professionals for effective delivering of justice and to strengthen democracy across Africa. Our courses are delivered in the form of seminars with discussions on streams of content including specialised topics, and best practices and innovations. Our courses are delivered by leading academics and professionals in the relevant areas. Our job is to present this information clearly and accurately, and to assist participants to connect this knowledge to their everyday work in ways that enhances effective delivering of justice to the public.  

The Institute provides consultancy services to various national and international institutions on criminal justice matters in Africa. These include institutions such as the police, the courts, prisons, Commission for human rights and administrative justice, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organisation and other government institutions in Sub-Sahara Africa

The Institute provides consultancy services to various national and interntional institutions on criminal justice matters in Africa. These include institutions such as the police, the courts, prisons, Commission for human rights and administrative justice, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organisation and other government institutions in Sub-Sahara Africa

The Institute organise and coordinate international educational tours on criminal justice related matters to Ghana and Africa. The tour is aimed at local and international students interested in understanding the workings of the criminal justice system in Africa. We also provide internship opportunities to students interested in developing a career in the field of criminal justice