Crime, Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System in Africa

Book excerpt: This book aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for a myriad of crime and mental health topics and issues in the African criminal justice system from a psycho-criminological perspective. Crime, Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System in Africa: A Psycho-Criminological Perspective is an ideal primary text for courses in criminology, criminal justice, and forensic psychology, as well as asource of reference for practitioners who deal with offenders or victims. “For a long time, African historiography has been viewed and interpreted from Eurocentric perspectives. This book is a timely contribution towards infusing Afrocentric perspectives in African scholarship by indigenous scholars. The authors’ interdisciplinary topical approach, covering a gamut of topics ranging from African criminology, through mental health and psychology, to criminal justice systems, has lent a decolonizing voice toward African literary pursuit and thereby laid a solid foundation for further research by other scholars. I highly recommend it to readers, academic institutions and researchers on Africa.” – Emmanuel Onyeozili, Ph.D., Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Department of Criminal Justice, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, USA “This edited volume by an array of experts from West and Southern Africa has given a refreshing voice to psycho-criminological narratives in the continent. In a region of the world in which there is insufficient documentation of the patterns, determinants and outcomes of criminal behaviour, this book offers a culturally competent and contemporary flavour to an ancient discourse. Its focus on new areas of concern such as online dating scams, kidnapping and the mental health of officials in the criminal justice system compellingly captures the potential reader and gives good value for time. It is warmly recommended for its breadth of coverage, the authority of its claims and the multi-disciplinary outlook of its authors.” – Adegboyega Ogunwale, MBBS, FWACP, Consultant Psychiatrist, Forensic Unit, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Ogun State, Nigeria “This collection represents a significant step in the study of mental health, crime and criminal justice in sub-Saharan Africa. The breadth of topics covered is impressive, with each contribution based on methodologically-sound empirical analyses. It deserves to become a key reference for students, researchers and policy makers interested in suicide, drug use, violence, the work of prison officers, criminal investigations, and police-community interactions.” – Justice Tankebe, Ph.D., Lecturer, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, UK “Mental health and criminal justice issues are growing problems facing the world today. Questions about whether mental health affects crime or whether involvement in the criminal justice system affects an individual’s health have become part of national policy discussion. This nicely written book brings together eminent scholars and experts with extensive experience in their various fields to address these and other questions related to crime, mental health, and criminal justice in Africa. The editors did well to coordinate the efforts of the contributors into a valuable pierce. I highly recommend it for all who are interested in the nexus between crime, mental health, and criminal justice systems.” – Francis D. Boateng, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, University of Mississippi, USA