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Directorate Research, Statistics and Legal Unit

The director for legal, human rights, research and statistics will be responsible to the Commissioner of Prisons for the following duties and responsibilities:-

1. Advising the department on legal matters;
2. Representing the department in courts in liaison with the state law office;
3. Developing legal frameworks on behalf of the department and review of existing legislations;
4. Drafting and facilitating signing memoranda of understanding between Kenya and other countries;
5. Responding to parliamentary questions in consultation with the Commissioner General of Prisons
6. Coordinating para-legal activities in all prisons;
7. Coordinating legal aid scheme and pro-bono services in all prisons;
8. Coordinating matters of human rights both for officers and inmates;
9. Ensuring that human rights for the inmates and the prison officers are safeguarded as stipulated by the law in the bill of rights;
10. Training and sensitizing prison officers and inmates on human rights;
11. Collecting, processing, analyzing, disseminating and publishing of statistical data related to prisons;
12. Compiling daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly figures on prisoners for internal and external consumption;
13. Carrying out review of sentences for prisoners in liaison with other stakeholders
14. Managing and coordinating library services;
15. Acquisition of information materials;
16. Supporting management by providing reference materials;
17. Designing of prisons forms and books to keep abreast with the needs of the Department in line with international standards.
18. Preparation of Departmental annual reports.
19. Editing of Departmental journal.
20. Assisting internal and external researchers in crime prevention and control.
21. Preparation of Departmental prisoners statistical returns;

    i. Prisoners weekly unlock figures.
    ii. Monthly average prisoners population figures.
    iii. Annual average prisoners population figures.
22. Perusing of local news papers for any significant report affecting the Department in consultation with CGP, preservation of the cuttings of significant newspaper reports and initiating follow up action.
23. Dealing with all correspondences on matters concerning mental patient prisoners.
24. Assessment and guidance on prisoners health matters
25. Attending to matters arising from appeals of persons in custody, maintenance of appeals and criminal revisions register.
26. Attending o all matters concerning the Board of Review of sentences;
27. Allocation of periodical review numbers to prisoners entitled for review.
28. Processing cases for the Board of Review in consultation with the appropriate officers.
29. Follow up action on the minutes of Board of Review, preparation of release orders in consultation with Attorney Generals chambers.
30. Preparation of Gazette and Legal Notices in consultation with Sub County Commissioners, Attorney General chambers, Principal Secretaries and other appropriate officers.[Gazette Notices appointing or cancelling appointments of Visiting Justices, Ministers of Religion and members of Board of Visitors].
31. Processing recommendations for release on medical grounds in consultation with DCGP, Law Courts, Attorney General Chambers, Principal Secretary and appropriate officers.
32. Matters concerning illegal awards, committal warrants, illegal detentions, computation of sentences and claims of illegal imprisonment in consultation with the DCGP, Law Courts, Attorney General`s Chambers, Principal Secretary and appropriate officers.
33. Decongesting prisons by facilitating release of prisoners via Presidential Amnesty and application of CSO.
34. Caring out gazettement and de-gazettement of prisons and compensation of injured inmates.
35. Member of Departmental Planning and Development and Departmental Training Committee
36. Secretary to the Advisory Board on special category [psychiatric] criminal patients.
37. In Charge of the Prisons Library and Archives.
38. Being responsible and responsive to the human rights of special needs offenders.
39. Coordination with other Government agencies (Immigration and Police) on all matters with regard to deportation orders in respect of prisoners who are non-Citizens.
40. Any other duties which may be assigned from time to time by the Commissioner General of Prisons.

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