Transforming Ghana’s prisons: A historical and biblical perspective

Samuel Boahen ORCID iD & Isaac Boaheng ORCID iD

Issue: Vol. 7 No.7 2026 Article 7 pp. 1834 – 1848
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026777 Published online 10th August 2026

© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Human societies have long sought to regulate crime and moral deviance, resulting in the evolution of imprisonment as a mechanism of social control. Despite ongoing reforms, Ghana’s prison system has not fully achieved its rehabilitative, deterrent, and reintegrative objectives. This study critically examines the historical evolution of prisons in selected ancient civilizations and evaluates Ghana’s penal system through the theological-ethical lens of Matthew 25:31–46. Employing a qualitative historical and theological research approach based on documentary analysis, the study explores the relationship between historical penal practices, contemporary correctional challenges, and biblical principles of justice, compassion, and human dignity. The findings reveal that Ghana’s correctional system continues to be constrained by punitive practices that undermine offender rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society. Drawing on the ethical teachings of Matthew 25, the study argues for a restorative justice framework that prioritises human dignity, reconciliation, rehabilitation, and social reintegration. The study contributes to scholarship by integrating historical penology with biblical ethics to propose contextually relevant reforms that can inform correctional policy and practice in Ghana.

Keywords: Criminology, Victimology, Penology, Recidivism, Misdemeanor.

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Samuel Boahen (MA) is a PhD candidate at All-Nations University, Koforidua (Ghana). He holds a Master of Arts in Ministry (Trinity Theological Seminary-Legon, Accra), Master of Arts in Christian Ministry in Management (Christian Service University-Kumasi), Post Graduate Certificate in Theology (Christian Service University-Kumasi); Post Graduate Diploma in Education (Valley View University-Techiman Campus) and BSc. Agricultural Engineering (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology-Kumasi). Boahen’s research interest lies in African Christian Theology, Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology and Missiology. He has authored three peer-reviewed scholarly articles and co-authored seven additional articles published in reputable academic journals. He has also presented research papers at numerous academic conferences. In addition to his scholarly contributions, he serves as an ordained Reverend Minister of the Methodist Church Ghana, Sunyani Diocese.

Isaac Boaheng (PhD) holds doctorates from the University of the Free State and the University of Pretoria, both in South Africa. He is a Research Fellow at the Biblical and Religious Department of the University of the Free State. He lectures at Christian Service University and has over a hundred peer-reviewed publications. His research interests are in theology, Biblical studies, and Translation studies.

Boahen, Samuel, and Isaac Boaheng. “Transforming Ghana’s Prisons: A Historical and Biblical Perspective.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.7 (2026): 1834 – 1848. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026777

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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