a. Use of alternatives to penal prosecution such as diversion in cases of minor offences with particular attention to young offenders and people with mental health or addiction problems. b. Recognition of restorative justice approaches to restore harmony within the community as opposed to punishment by the formal justice system - including wider use of family group conferencing, victim offender mediation and sentencing circles. c. Use of traditional justice as a way of dealing with crime in line with constitutional guarantees and human rights standards. d. Improving referral mechanisms between the formal (State) justice system and the informal (non State) justice system. e. Decriminalisation of some offences such as being a rogue and vagabond, loitering, prostitution, failure to pay debts and disobedience to parents. Strategies for reducing the numbers of unsentenced prisoners include: a. Co-operation between the police, the prison services and the courts to ensure trials are speedily processed and reduce the delays of remand detention through: regular meetings of caseload management committees including all criminal justice agents at the district, regional and national levels; making of costs orders against lawyers for unnecessary adjournments; targeting cases of vulnerable groups. b. Detention of persons awaiting trial only as a last resort and for the shortest time possible, including: increased use of cautioning; improved access to bail through widening police powers of bail and involving community representatives in the bail process; restricting the time in police custody to 48 hours; setting time limits for people on remand in prison. c. Good management of case files and regular review of the status of remand prisoners. d. Greater use of paralegals in the criminal process to provide legal literacy, assistance and advice at a first aid level. Strategies for reducing the numbers of sentenced prisoners include: a. Setting a target for reducing the prison population. b. Increased use of proven effective alternatives, such as community service and exploring other sanctions such as partially or fully suspended sentence, probation and correctional supervision. c. Imposition of sentences of imprisonment only for the most serious offences and when no other sentence is appropriate, i.e. as a last resort and for the shortest time possible. d. Consideration of prison capacity when determining decisions to imprison and the length and terms of imprisonment. e. Review and monitoring of sentencing practice to ensure consistency. f. Powers to courts to review decisions to imprison, with a view to substituting community disposals in place of prison. g. Early and conditional release schemes, furloughs and home leave - criteria for early release should include compassionate grounds based on health and age. 2. Making African prisons more self-sufficient a. Foster prison agriculture, workshops and other enterprises for the good of prisoners and staff.