DEBRETABOR UNIVERSTY

COLLAGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT CIVICS AND ETHICAL STUDIES

ASSESSING PRISONERS’ RIGHT OF ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES: THE CASE

OF DEBRE TABOR ADMINISTRATION PRISON CENTER.
ASENIOR ESSAY SUBMITTED TO DEPARTMENT OF CIVICS AND ETHICALSTUDIES IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ABACHELOR DEGREE OF
ARTS IN CIVICS AND ETHICAL STUDIES

PREPARED BY;
NAME ID
1, ZEGINET ZEWUDE……………………………… 2536
2, ABINET DIRESS…………………………………….1806

ADVISOR, ABEBE .A(MS)

FEBRUARY, 2023

DEBRE TABOR, ETHIOPIA

 APPROVAL SHEET

Submitted by

-_______________________ __________________ _____________________

Name of student signature Date

Approve by

1_____________________ ______________________ ______________________

2 Name of major advisor signature Date

______________ -_______________ ____________________

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 Declaration

I hereby declare that this BA research is my original work and has not been presented for degree in
any other university, and all sources of material used for this research has been duly acknowledged.

Name___________________

Signature___________________

Date_______________________

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 ACKNOWLEGEMENT

First of all I would like to thank the almighty God who being Alpha and Omega for my best.
Secondly then I would like express my deepest gratitude and heartfelt to my advisor Abebe A for his
constructive and indispensable guidance comment in reviewing and professional assistance of this
study from the beginning to the end.

Lastly but not least word cannot express my heartily and pround to my family who brought me with
the character and supports in morally, financially and material from beginning to the end .

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 ABSTRACT

The main objective of the study is to investigate the assessing prisoners right of access to health
care service in Debre Tabor administration prison center: The case study was Debre Tabor prison
center; data were collected from the civil servant and prisoners through questionnaire and
interview; in the methodology part the researchers used both qualitative and quantitative method of
data analysis such as percentage and tables. Both primary and secondary data have been used to
grasp the information needed for desired result.

The data analyzed revealed that there is series problem on the treatment of prisoners in general and
their right to health in particular. Such as lack of food security, adequate health service, clean
dormitories, clean environment, lack of available toilet, lack of quality laboratory medicine, lack of
professional personal and other problems. Due to these serious problems the rate of prisoner’s death
is very high and we recommended that to solve health problem in the prison administration should
increase the availability of facilities, like adequate health care infrastructures (e.g. hospitals,
community health facilities, trained health care professionals).

Key words: Prisoners, health services.

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 ACRONYMS

EPRDF=Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front

CRC=Convention on the Right of the child

FDRE=Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopian

ICCPR=International Convention on Civil and Political Right.

SMRS=Standard Minimum Rules..

UDHR=Universal Declaration of Human Right.

UN=United Nation.

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Table of Contents

Contents page

Contents
APPROVAL SHEET…………………………………………………………….......

Declaration………………………………………………………………………….
ACKNOWLEGEMENT…………………………………………………………………………….iii

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................................iv

ACRONYMS.........................................................................................................................................v

table of content………………………………………………………………………………………..vi
List Of Table……………………………………………………………………………………….vii

CHAPTER ONE....................................................................................................................................1

BACKGROUND OF STUDY...............................................................................................................1

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM..................................................................................3

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY..........................................................................................4

1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES.........................................................................................4

1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES..........................................................................................4

1.3 .3 RESEARCH QUESTION.........................................................................................4

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY......................................................................................4

1.5 Scope of the study...................................................................................................................5

1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY...................................................................................5

CHAPTER TWO...................................................................................................................................5

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES...................................................................................5

2.1 CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION OF PRISONERS...................................................................5

2.2 THE RIGHTS OF PRISONERS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL

INSTRUMENTS..........................................................................................................................6
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 2.2.1 UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS........................................6

2.2.2 INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS..............7

2.4 THE RIGHTS OF PRISONERS UNDER THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF

ETHIOPIA.....................................................................................................................................8

2.5 BASIC RIGHTS OF PRISONERS..........................................................................................8

2.6. CATEGORIES OF PRISONS INSTITUTIONS....................................................................9

2.6.1 MINIMUM SECURITY INMATES............................................................................9

2.6.2. LOW-SECURITY INMATES...................................................................................10

2.6.3. MEDIUM SECURITY INMATES............................................................................10

2.6.4 MAXIMUM SECURITY INMATES.........................................................................11

CHAPTER THREE..............................................................................................................................11

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................11

3.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA............................................................................11

3.2. RESEARCH APPROACH....................................................................................................12

3.3. RESEARCH DESIGN..........................................................................................................13

3.4. SAMPLING TECHNIQUES................................................................................................13

3.5. SAMPLING SIZE.................................................................................................................13

3.6 SOURCES AND TYPE OF DATA.......................................................................................14

3.7 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE..................................................................................14

3.8. DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT............................................................................14

3.8.1. QUESTIONNAIRE....................................................................................................15

3.8.2 IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW...........................................................................................15

3.9. Method of data analysis and presentation.............................................................................16

3.9.1 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION..............................................................................16

4. DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION.................................................................................16

4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................16
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 4.2. Availability............................................................................................................................17

4.3 Accessibility...................................................................................................................................19

4.4. Quality...................................................................................................................................20

4.5. Acceptability.........................................................................................................................23

CHAPTER FIVE....................................................................................................................................23

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION...............................................................................23

5.1 conclusion......................................................................................................................................23

5.2. Recommendation...........................................................................................................................24

REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................................

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 List Of Table

Table 4. 1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents by sex performance.

Table 4 .2 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents by age

Table 4 3. Respondents Educational Background

Table 4.4 both prisoners and civil servant response on the close ended question?

Table 4.5 Where you get totality of health and sufficient it is?

Table 4.6 when prisoners get an access to health services in prison center?

Table 4.7 how do you measure the level of quality of food in prison?

Table 4. 8 is living condition dormitories over crowded?

Table 4.9 Is the dorm comfortable at night time?

Table 4.10 How to measure level of quality of health service in their clinic?

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 CHAPTER ONE.

BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Prison center is an institution of the State where law offenders are kept in custody awaiting their trial
and convicted persons serving their sentence for the offence Committed. A prisoner is a person who is
confined in prison after getting proper and legitimate punishment from a court or person that is
lawfully remanded by the court having committed an offencence (Harding,R M,e Court Issue, 1998)

The international human rights law perceived prison as a place for the treatment of the convicted
person. (Harigovind,P C, 2013)

The protection and respect for the human rights of a person depends upon his status, whether he is a
citizen or non-citizen, freeman or prisoner, child Or adult, male or female meaning some rights are
not absolute but can be Interfered with by the State, such rights among others include the right to
liberty, the right to privacy, conjugal rights (Brown,D K, 2001)

Prisoners' rights in international law are found in a number of international treaties. For the most
part these treaties came into existence following the two World Wars and the body of law continues
to be added to and amended.

Prisoners of war may not renounce rights secured by the Conventions Those rights include the rights
to humane treatment which prohibits specifically violence causing death or seriously endangering
health, or physical mutilation or scientific or medical experiments, protection from acts of
intimidation, insults and public curiosity, protection from reprisals, exercise, protection from
physical or mental torture, adequate physical and psychological treatment, to keep personal items
including money, to be evacuated if the territory in which they are held becomes too dangerous, to
adequate food, water,

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Prisoner’s right are first and foremost human rights and any discussion of the protection of such
rights must be viewed in this context. Therefore, Prisoners’ rights indeed all human rights in African
countries or any other country, must be seen against the background of political and socio-economic
realities pertaining to the country concerned. (Fry, 1874-1958)

All rights and freedoms of human are own naturally (Sintayeh, 2001)
The universal declaration of human right consists of a preamble and 30 articles for this declaration
man is a worthy of being called man only if he/she fulfills these conditions: to be free, equal to have
an disturbed enjoyment of his/her property not to realize them (kassaye, 2001)
The right to healthy is one of the rights to be fulfilled for prisoners. But there are various conditions
that erode the right to healthy of prisoners when they stay in prison. Like contagious disease, such as:
diarrhea disease, tuberculosis, typhoid, typhus, hemorrhoids, malaria and etc. are very common.
The Ethiopian constitution provides that a person arrested or detained has the right to be brought to
trial and informed of the charges against him within 48 hours of arrest, though extra time is allowed
as required for travel to the court. (Praveen, May 24 2018)Ethiopia also ratified International Human
Right Treaties by the 1995 FDRE Constitution. Under the Constitution, the protection of human
rights in general and prisoners’ right in particular also guaranteed.
Moreover, from the time Ethiopia adopted the Federal government in 1995, the prisoner’s right also
recognized both by the 1995 FDRE Constitution and the States Constitutions. Hence, prisoners in the
Amhara Region in general and prisoners in the Debre Tabor Prison Administration in particular have
a right to be treated humanely according to the human rights principles that provided both by the
FDRE and Amhara Constitutions.

Further, an attempt would also be made to identify the role of the Federal Prisons Commission for
the treatment and handling of prisoners in all Regions of the country including Amhara and it also
discussed how the Debre Tabor Prison Administration implements the prisoners’ rights that are
provided in the International Human Rights Instruments, the FDRE and Amhara Constitutions.

Most of the prisoners suffered by disease are caused by lack of proper personal hygiene and
environmental sanitation, contaminate water and food (Andargachew, 2004). Article21 (1) of the
FDRE Constitutions provide that all peoples prison center person imprisons up on and sentencing
have the right to treatments respecting human. Prisoners needing special treatment shall be transfer
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to specialize institutions or to civil hospitals. There is natal care for women prisoners. The medical
officer shall see each prisoner immediately after admission to discover the medical needs of the
prisoners and provide him then and here after (Andargachew, 2004).

The Prisoners lacks attention of quality food and water, dormitories with necessary facilities, like
clean environment and also lack of giving attention to the adequate health services. There is serious
mismatch of diseases and medicine which results in healthy problems of prisoner (Maze, et. a|2011|).
In Debre tabor prison center, the prisoners blamed the minimum condition of necessary food,
clothing and medical care to sustain life.

Due to this reason the health of most prisoners are negatively affects. In the prison center, there is
limitation or discrepancy between the theory and practice in the protection and enforcement of the
right to health of prisoner.

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Accordingly, art.21 (1) of FDRE constitution professed that “all people under custody persons
imprison up on conviction and sentencing have the right to treatments respecting their human
dignity”. These rights include the right to be provide with clean area (environment, clean food, and
clean water). Their health condition shall be protect as it state under FDRE constitution.

The rights of prisoners are protected under FDRE constitution and different international
conventions, practically any one can observe the violation of prisoner’s rights. Accordingly, some of
the problems in the relation to prisoner are right healthy in Debre tabor prison center is state as
follows.

The failure of the prison center as a whole to provide services in transporting inmates to nearby
clinics has resulted in some of the convicts being found practically untreated.

No sufficient water is provide for prisoners to clean their bedroom, clothier, bodies which has result
several prisoners are cause to different types of disease like contagious disease, typhoid, typhus,
hemorrhoids, malaria and there is no full implementation of prisoners right access to health services.
(Debre Tabor Administration Prison Center,2015)

Debre tabor administration prison centers and finally, the right forwards solutions
(recommendations) for the problems asses in this study.

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 1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES

The general objective of the study is Assessing Prisoners Right of Assess to Health Care Services
The case of Debre Tabor Prisoners Center.

1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1 To investigate the challenges that facing prisoners at Debre Tabor prison center.

2 To reach the rights of prisoners in Debre Tabor prison center.

3 To look into the role of state holders in the health situation of prisoners.

1.3 .3 RESEARCH QUESTION

This study will try to answer the following research questions;

1. What are the challenges that faced the prisoners in Debre Tabor prison center?

2. What are the rights of prisoners in Debre Tabor prisoner center?

3. How the state holders realize the health situation of prisoners?

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In Ethiopia, both at Federal and Regional, different laws (legislations) were proclaimed for the
protection and treatment of prisoner’s rights in the prisons. Hence, a study will use the justice sectors
of the Region particularly the Federal Prison Commission, the Amhara Prison Commission and
Debre Tabor Prison Administration to have enough knowledge about the rights of the prisoners and
used to improve the treatments and handling of prisoners both in the country as a whole and in
Amhara Region. Besides to that, it contributes to issue a uniform standard that used to govern all
prison institutions in the country regarding the treatments of the prisoners’ rights.

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And also it used as an input in formulating prison policy both in the country and the Amhara
national Regional State. So, since this study is exclusively related to the prisoners’ right in Debre
Tabor Prison Administration, in one way it used to investigate the problems of the prisoners ; in
other way it also help the researchers as the base for further study in other Prisons Administration
either in other Region or in Amhara. Moreover, this study also used to enhance the knowledge of the
prison officials, Judges, public Prosecutors and public polices (police officers) in order to realize the
rights of the prisoners’ according to International Prisoners’ Right Instruments.

1.5 Scope of the study

The study will be undertaken in South Gonder Zone. In particular Debre Tabor city administration
will be the principal location of study site. Thematically the study will attempt to assessing the
implementation of prisoner’s rights assess to health service in Debre tabor administration prison
center.

1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

The research paper will be structure in three chapters .The first chapter will consist of introduction
background of study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, significance of the study,
scope and organization of the study.

The second chapter will concern the with review of literature which contains conceptual frame work
including theoretically frame works. The third chapter will present methodologies use in conduct the
study description of the study area, research design sampling size, sampling technique, data
collection tools and data analysis and presentations, time schedule and budget plan.

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 CHAPTER TWO

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

2.1 CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION OF PRISONERS

A prisoner is a person who is kept in a prison as a punishment for a crime that they have committed.

A society of prisoner like any society possesses distinctive cultural, features (value, time, comity is
loaded from another).In mates society influences the way prisoners adjust to prison life .Robert
m,Boum and Keith,H.Haley 2005, p 337).Prisoners also refers to a person deprived of liberty and
kept under involuntary restraint confinement or custody especially one under arrest awaiting on trial
or serving a prison sentence (Merino wet betters dictionary of 1996).

2.2 THE RIGHTS OF PRISONERS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL

INSTRUMENTS

Prisoners right in international law are found in a number of international treaties. For the most part
these treaties came into existence following the two World Wars and the body of law continues to be
added to and amended.

The events of World War I and World War II had a profound effect on international law due to the
widespread denial of civil rights and liberties on the basis of racial, religious, and political
discrimination. The systematic use of violence, including murder and ultimately genocide, the use of
slave labor, abuse and murder of prisoners of war, deportations, and confiscation of property forced
changes to the status quo. Over the proceeding decades, large scale changes began to occur in all
areas of international law, and prisoners’ rights were no exception. "International Committee of the
Red Cross". Retrieved 1 May 2012.

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 2.2.1 UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 did not specifically refer to prisoner , although
the rights it laid out including the prohibition of torture, the right to a fair trial and the presumption of
innocence implicitly covered them.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was the agency leading
the revision process. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 
(OHCHR) ensured that the revised rules reflected international human rights standards adopted since
the 1950s. As a result, the Mandela Rules provide States with detailed guidelines for protecting the
rights of persons deprived of their liberty, from pre-trial detainees to sentenced prisoners.

The rules are based on an obligation to treat all prisoners with respect for their inherent dignity and
value as human beings, and to prohibit torture and other forms of ill-treatment. They offer detailed
guidance on a wide variety of issues ranging from disciplinary measures to medical services. For
example, they prohibit the reduction of a prisoner’s food or water, as well as the use of instruments
of restraint that are inherently degrading or painful, such as chains or irons.

The rules restrict the use of solitary confinement as a measure of last resort, to be used only in
exceptional circumstances. Mandela found solitary confinement to be “the most forbidding aspect of
prison life. There was no end and no beginning; there’s only one’s own mind, which can begin to
play tricks. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (OHCHR) in New
York.  

2.2.2 INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS

The principal international human rights documents clearly protect the human rights of prisoners.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against
Torture and Other Cruel, in human or punishment (hereinafter, the Torture Convention) both prohibit
torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, without exception or derogation.
Article 10 of the ICCPR, in addition, mandates that all persons deprived of their liberty shall be
treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person." It also requires
that "the reform and social re-adaptation of prisoners" be an "essential aim" of imprisonment several
7
additional international documents flesh out the human rights of persons deprived of liberty,
providing guidance as to how governments may comply with their international legal obligations.

The most comprehensive such guidelines are the The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules of
Treatments of Prisoners (known as the Standard Minimum Rules), adopted by the U.N. Economic
and Social Council in 1957. It should be noted that although the Standard Minimum Rules are not a
treaty, they constitute an authoritative guide to binding treaty standards.

2.4 THE RIGHTS OF PRISONERS UNDER THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

OF ETHIOPIA

Ethiopian legal frame work there are a lot of proclamation the constitution stated about the right of
person held I custody and the right to health. For example, art.21 (1) and (3) of the FDRE
constitution state that” all person held in custody and imprisoned up on convention and sentencing
have the right to treatment respecting the human dignity”.

In May 1991 when the Ethiopian people’s revolutionary democratic (EPRDF) to control the country,
the Ethiopian prisoners like the other components of the criminal justice system, where completely
closed down. In fact some of the prisoner was looted and prisoners were let lose.

There is no information has to how many of the sour prisoner during the last days of dergue,
remained functional after the takeover in fact , EPRDF had to use immediately after it took over.

In fact if EPRDF had to use immediately power , other building or institutions or harming barracks to
detain some of the official of the defend government t of dergue (Anderguachew 2004,p 270-71).

During the transitional government, the prisoners were gradually made functional along with the
other criminal justice system and through the exact darts when the prisoner were reopened are not
known. However, no new laws were issued for their establishment of prisoner except for single
article in the proclamation that defend power and duties of the central and regional executive organs
of the transitional government.

2.5 BASIC RIGHTS OF PRISONERS

The politicization of criminal justice policy and a lack of evidence-based assessment result in a
one-way ratchet in which law and policy grow ever more punitive. The human and financial costs

8
of mass incarceration are staggering, and the burden falls disproportionately on the poor and
people of color.(united nation 2008.p 17).

In the recent fiscal crisis and years of falling crime rates have combined to create the best
opportunity in decades to challenge our nation’s addiction to incarceration.  

Far too many prisoners are held in conditions that threaten their health, safety, and human dignity
on a daily basis. Tens of thousands of prisoners are held in long-term isolated confinement in
“supermax” prisons and similar facilities (Abebe, 2010:3).

The devastating effects of such treatment, particularly on people with mental illness, are well
known. Prisoners are a population with significant medical and mental health needs, but prisoner
health care services are often abysmal, in many cases leading to needless suffering, disability, and
death, as well as a serious threat to public health when contagious disease goes undiagnosed or
untreated.

Prisoners’ rights to read, write, speak, practice their religion, and communicate with the outside
world are often curtailed far beyond what is necessary for institutional security. Not only are these
activities central to the ability of prisoners to retain their humanity, but they also contribute to the
flow of information between prisons and the outside world and thus provide a vital form of
oversight of these closed institutions.

2.6. CATEGORIES OF PRISONS INSTITUTIONS

Prisons classified into four security levels: MINIMUM, LOW, MEDIUM AND MAXIMUM based
on the level of security and staff supervision the institutions is able to provide.

A prisoner can mean many things.  It can be someone who is being legally held in a prison or jail.  
He is either waiting for a trial for crimes he is accused of or he is serving time for crimes he is
convicted of committing. (Andasrgachew, 2004,1961)

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 2.6.1 MINIMUM SECURITY INMATES

We start our list of the many types of prisoners with minimum security inmates.  Minimum security
institutions or Federal Prison Camps have limited or no perimeter fencing.  The inmates in these
facilities have the least amount of security.   They live in dormitory housing and have a relatively
low staff-to-inmate ratio.

Minimum security prisons are reserved for non-violent offenders.  They are criminals who have
committed very minor infractions and are not considered to be a flight risk.  Most of them have
shorter sentences, like six months to less than ten years.  Inmates from higher security prisons who
have just a few years left on their sentences and have shown excellent behavior may be sent to a
minimum-security prison.

Minimum security prisons are geared toward rehabilitation because their inmates are only expected
to stay for a short time.  Inmates have access to work and education programs.  Every single inmate
must either have a job or be enrolled in a training program.  Some offer the opportunity for the
pursuit of higher education while others allow inmates to do offsite work.

2.6.2. LOW-SECURITY INMATES

Low-security prisons, or Federal Correctional Institutions, unlike minimum security prisons, have
perimeters with double fences to contain their inmates.  They have dormitory-style housing.  Inmates
have the freedom to take part in work programs, leaving the facility with supervision.  The staff-to-
inmate ratio is not very high but is higher than a minimum-security facility.

Low-security inmates are those who have less than 20 years left to serve.  They are also considered
to have less of a violence risk.  Sex offenders and higher-risk inmates are housed in low-security
facilities.  While low-security prisoners may have a history of violence, anyone caught fighting,
drinking, using drugs, or committing any other serious infraction will be sent to medium-security
prisons.

These prisoners make up approximately 38 percent of all the prisoner population.  They see
relatively little violence and little gang activity.

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 2.6.3. MEDIUM SECURITY INMATES

Medium security inmates are housed in facilities with reinforced perimeters. Electronic detection
systems are typically installed on the fences.  Prisoners mainly live in cells.  There is a higher staff-
to-inmate ratio than low and minimum security prisons. There are also greater internal controls to
keep the prisoners in lines.

Medium security inmates must have less than thirty years remaining on their sentence.  However,
there is the occasional exception for lifers to be assigned to a medium-security prison due to a waiver
by the regional director.

A prisoner’s history will not preclude him from placement in a medium-security prison.  He can have
a history of in-prison alcohol and substance abuse, a lengthy disciplinary record, violence, and
escape.

2.6.4 MAXIMUM SECURITY INMATES

Maximum or high-security prisons are where the most violent and dangerous prisoners are housed. 
These prisoners have far more guards than either minimum or medium security prisons and have
very little freedom.  Each prisoner is considered to be high risk.

These prisoners are generally serving long sentences.  They are murderers, robbers, and kidnappers.
Some of them have committed violent crimes while serving time and have been transferred to
maximum security. These inmates are considered to need the most security.  They pose a threat to
other inmates, prison guards, and society in general.

These prisons are surrounded by high walls or strong fences.  There are electronic detection devices
on many of these prisons’ exterior walls.  Powerful spotlights are used to illuminate the perimeter.

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 CHAPTER THREE

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA

The study will be conduct in Debre Tabor Town, South Gondar zone, Amhara regional state of
Ethiopia. Debre Tabor town is north central Ethiopia it is located 666km from Addis Ababa, 99km
from Bahir Dar. Debre Tabor town is located 11:50'30'North of Latitude and 37:59'30"East of
longitudes(DTAO,,2021).Based on the national census conducted by the central statistics agency of
Ethiopia in 2007, this town total has a total population of 55,596, of whom27,644 are man and
27,952 are women.

Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA),
this town has a total population of 55,596, of whom 27,644 are men and 27,952 women. The
majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 96.72% reporting that as
their religion, while 2.54% of the population said they were Muslim.

3.2. RESEARCH APPROACH

This study will employ both qualitative and quantitative method of research for various justifications.

Firstly, integration of qualitative and quantitative studies helps the researcher for the

better understanding of the research problem and yields to get richer, comprehensive and holistic
understanding.

Secondly, using single approach may not guaranty the researcher to find out

Valid data which is free from researcher’s biases. Thirdly, from mixed approach a researcher

Can generate both numerical and nonnumeric data from survey questionnaire and interview.

Furthermore, mixed-methods research approaches were used to systematically combines

12
quantitative and qualitative research tools, methods, approaches and concepts for richer and broader
understanding and purposefully minimizes the limitations of mono-method research

method for quality data findings (Creswell, 2014).

On qualitative research method the desire information about the problems are answer with a

description in word through the instrument of interviews, discussion or observations, So the

research have in-depth explanation with the method of qualitative and the researcher use interview

with respondents and quantitative methods of research employ to quantify data and generalize

results from a sample to the study of population. From study design the researcher use cross

sectional survey method because it is helpful to gather information on a population at a single time

and within a short period of time. The researcher employ on relatively a large number of

populations and the method use at a point or a short period of time to generate the real information.

3.3. RESEARCH DESIGN

The purpose of this research is descriptive research which tries to focus on Debre Tabor Prisoners
Center.

The data will be collect at one point at a time, carrying through a systematically selected sample
from the target populations (Admassie, 2010).

The descriptive research design is the most useful (Dulock, 1993).

A cross-sectional descriptive research design helps to describe the existing trends of a specific
situation and narrate facts.

The aim of this study will be to assessing prisoners right of assess to health care services the case
of Debre Tabor Prisoners Center.

The concurrent triangulation approach was used to collect, analyze, and discuss both

quantitative and qualitative data (Creswell and Plano Clark, 2011).

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 3.4. SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

In this study the researcher will used both probability and non-probability sampling method.

From the probability sampling techniques researcher will be use simple random sampling method
enumerated list of the population each will have probability to be select as sample.

The researcher will use this method because this technique gives equal chance for all respondents.

From the non-probability sampling techniques, the researcher will use purposive sampling
techniques.

The investigator takes this technique the respondents who have good sources of the information
about prisoner’s right.

3.5. SAMPLING SIZE

According to the findings of Debre tabor prison administration center, the total number of the
prisoners in Debre Tabor administration prison center are 1210.

From this the researcher will be select from strict by decision 50, from periodic movement 20
respondents and from normal prisoners 15 respondents by using systematic sampling techniques.

To determine the sample size the researcher will be used the following steps:

K=N/n where k=sample interval

N=total number of population in study area

n=total number of sample size

k=1210/50 =24 Respondents of strict by decision prisoners

k=1210/20= 60 Respondents of periodic movement prisoners

k=1210/ 15= 80 Respondents of normal prisoners

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 3.6 SOURCES AND TYPE OF DATA

To answer the basic research questions of this study, the required data will be collected from both
primary and secondary sources. The primary data are collected from field observation, interview, and
focus group discussion. Secondary data sources are materials relate to the data require such as the
documents books, journals, and research papers.

3.7 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE

The structure questionnaires were design and distribute to prisoners. The questionnaires include

both close ended and open ended to collect the necessary data from respondent and this questionnaire
allows the respondents to express their feelings and opinion freely and openly

without enforcement of the researchers.

3.8. DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT

In order to obtain adequate information on the issue of the study the researcher use questionnaire
and depth interview.

3.8.1. QUESTIONNAIRE

The fact that, the researcher use questionnaire as it is say to be an objective, quantitative

approach to the study of the social processes within a well-define area at a given time and to help

the researcher understand some specific problems of the participants’ attitudes towards major

social, economic and political problems at a particular time and generate statically data

(Kumekpor, 2002). So, as such the researcher used both open ended questionnaire and close

ended questionnaire, because open ended questionnaire gives an opportunity for respondents to

express their feeling by their own words, also close ended questionnaire was used in which it

allows the respondents to choose their own choice which is guide by the researcher questions.

Questionnaires were produce for informants in Amharic language that is administer by the
researcher.
15
 3.8.2 IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW

This is the second tools of data gathering which the researcher undertaken. This tool

helps the researcher to generate qualitative data by employing face-to-face in-depth interview

with the propose participants.

Moreover, it is vital to gather data about participants’ reflections about the assissing the right of
prisoners assess of health care service in Debre Tabor administration prison center.

. In confirming the above views, Catharine, (2007) asserted that the main reason of using in-depth
interview is to obtain participants’ attitudes, perceptions, values, and behaviors and experiences and
their views about the right of prisoners in a more detail way.

Furthermore, interview as a research tool is interchanging ideas and opinions the

interviewee and interviewer have on an issue. It helps the interviewee and interviewer to discuss

and interpret the situations and experience of people to talk about their everyday (Yin 2013)

3.9. Method of data analysis and presentation

The collected data will be, summarize and rearrange to figures, table and percentage through

quantitative and descriptive data analyzing techniques. The reason that the researcher use this

techniques, is because it simplicity and clarity to draw inferences. Based on the analyze data the

researcher draw conclusion and finally the recommendation is make.

3.9.1 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

The researcher tries to make this study ethically acceptable in which consent of the respondents gain
a great a great consideration and purpose and significance of the study is briefly explain to
respondents, to keep their confidentiality regarding the information they provide to the study during
data collection

16
 CHAPTER FOUR

4. DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION

4.1 Introduction

Under this chapter to discuss or analyze the assessing prisoner’s right of access to health care service
the case of Debre Tabor administration prison Center.

Table 4. 1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents by sex performance.

No Sex No. Respondents Percent

1 male 20 66.6
2 female 10 33.3
3 Total 30 100
Researchers’ own survey, 2023.

The above table shows that (20) or 66.6% of the respondents are males and (10) or 33.4 of the
respondents are females.

Table 4 .2 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents by age

No Age No. of respondents percent

1 18-30 9 30
2 31-50 12 40
3 Above 50 9 30
Total 30 100
Researchers’ own survey, 2023

The above table shows that 30% of the respondents are found the age interval between 18-30 and
40% 0f the respondents are between 31-50 and also 30% of the respondents are found above 50%.

Table 4 3. Respondents Educational Background

Educational status No. of respondents percent

Illiteracy 5 17
Certificate 5 17
Diploma 10 33
Degree 10 33
Masters 0 0
Total 30 100
Researchers own survey, 2023

According to the above table the total respondents 17% of them are illiterate, 17% of them are
certificate holders, 33% of respondents are diploma holders, and 33% of the are degree holders.
17
 4.2. Availability

These prisoners and civil servant repliyed that, on the availability there is lack of quantity of
functional public healthy and health care facilities and also lack of drugs and modern equipment,
there is also lack available service like primary care, mental health and adequate health care
infrastructure like hospital community health facility, trained health care professional or medical
docters.This also include like food, clean water and clean dormitories.

These prisoners and civil servant response educated that the availability of food need high
improvement accordant to respondent the availability is high the Debre Tabor but even the
availability is high the quality of clean water and clean dormitory. At least 150 prisoners are like
with one wide dormitory and at least 50 prisoners are live within one narrow dormitory.

Table 4.4 both prisoners and civil servant response on the close ended question?

question Alternative Prisoners Civil servant Total in Total in

respondents respondent No Percentage
No percent No Percent
Very high 0 0 3 30% 3 10%
How do High 3 15% 1 10% 4 13.3%
you Medium 5 26.66% 4 40% 9 10%
measure Low 2 13.3% 1 11.76% 3 10%
the Very low 10 50% 1 11.76% 14 29.785
availability
of food,
clean cloth Total 20 100% 10 100% 30 100%
and clean
dormitory
of
prisoners?

Researchers own survey, 2023.

18
As the above table 4.4 clearly show that 5(25%) of the prisoners response that the provision of
adequate food, clean cloth and clean dormitory in the prison is very low.While4(40%)of the civil
servant responses is medium. Generally when we ask the prisoners about their treatment all prisoners
respond that the availability of facilities is very low(interview),TV,radio,news paper magazine
etc.Also prisoners and civil response that there is lack of health care institution and providers not
respect prisoners dignity, some medical doctors are not respect medical ethical’s and not product
concentrically.

Table 4.5 Where you get totality of health and sufficient it is?

Question Alternative NO Percent No Percent Total in Total in

No percent
Where A/within 12 4o% 2 11.5% 3 33.3%
you get their clinic
totality of B/outside
health the clinic 0 0 1 5.9% 4 2.1%
and C/Both 8 60% 7 82.5% 9 63.3
sufficient D/none 0 0 0 0 0 0
it is? Total 20 100% 10 100% 30 100%
Researchers own survey, 2023

As table 4.5 show that 11.5 %( 33.3) of the prisoners claimed that the health service is provided with
in the clinic were as 1[(5.9%)of the civil servant responds that the health service is provided both
within clinic and outside clinic.

4.3 Accessibility

These all prisoners, response, that the health facilities good and services of the prison low. They also
indicate that there is some discrimination based on, age and sex there also lack of access to
information Ie, lack of media

Table 4.6 when prisoners get an access to health services in prison center?

19
Question Alternatives prisoner Civil Total in Total in
respondent No percent
When No % No % No %
prisoners A/During
get an an serious
access to illness 11 36.7% 3 17.6% 14 29.8%
health B/During
services habitual
in prison illness 2 30% 5 29.4% 14 29.8%
center? C/Before
and after 4 13.3% 2 52.9% 13 27.6%
illness
C/There is
no access to
health
services 3 20% 0 0 6 12.8%
Total 20 100% 10 100% 30 100%

Researchers own survey, 2023

As table 4.6 Shows11 (36.7%)of prison respondent that the access is limited during series illness
9(52.9%)of civil servant responded that the access is both before and after illness

4.4. Quality

These all prisoners and civil servant respondent that, there are low qualities of health facilities good
and services, lack of scientifically and medical appropriate quality.

Table 4.7 how do you measure the level of quality of food in prison?

Question alternative Prisoner Civil servant Total Total in

respondent respondent in No percent
No percent No percent

20
 A/very 0 0 6 35.3% 3 12.8%
How do you measure the level high
of quality of food in B/high 10 60% 9 52.9% 15 57.4%
C/medium 5 16.7% 2 11.8% 7 14.9%
prison? D/low 5 23.3% 0 0 5 14.9%

E/very low 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total
20 100% 10 100% 30 100%

Researchers own survey, 2023

As table 4.7 18(60%)of prisoners and 9(52%)the civil servant response that the level of quality and
quantity of food is high.5[16.7%)of the prisoners and2(11.8%)of the civil servant response that the
level of quality and quantity of food is medium were as 7(23.3%)of prisoners response that the level
of quality and quantity is high .This implies that most of the prisoners and civil servants response on
the level of quality and quantity of food is high.

Table 4. 8 is living condition dormitories over crowded?

Question Alternative Prisoner Civil servant Total Total in

respondents respondent in No percentage
Is living No % No %
the A/yes 18 93.3% 7 70% 19 66.4%
condition B/no 2 6.7% 3 30% 11 36.6.6%

21
 Total 20 100% 10 100% 30 100%
dormitories
over
Researchers own survey, 2023

As table 4.8 reveals, 18(93.3%))of prisoners 7(70%)of the civil servant confirmed that the living
condition in the dormitories over crowded.

Table 4.9 Is the dorm comfortable at night time?

Question Alternative Prisoner respondent Civil servant Total Total in

respondent inNo percentage
IS the dorm No % No %
comfortable
At Yes 5 13.3 1 5.8 5 10.6
nighttime? No 15 86.6 16 94.1 42 89.4
Total 20 100 10 100 30 100

Researchers own servey, 2023

As table 4.9 reveals 26(86.6%)o f prisoners 16(94.1%)of the civil servant confirmed that the dorm
uncomfortable at night time.

Table 4.10 How to measure level of quality of health service in their clinic?

Question Alternative Prisoner respondent Civil servant Total in Total in

respondent no percentage
How to No % No %
measure A/very 1 3.3% 2 20% 3 8.5%
level of high

22
 B/High 2 10% 3 29.4% 5 17%
C/Medium 12 60% 5 51% 17 17%
D/Low 3 15% 0 0 3 10.8%
quality of E/Very 2 10.3% 0 O 2 6.5%
health low
services Total 20 100% 10 100% 30 100%
in their

Researcher’s survey, 2023

As table 4.10 show that 12(60%%)of prison servant responded that the quality of health provided
with in clinic is medium.

4.5. Acceptability

All health facilities, food and services most respect full of medical ethics and culturally appropriate
sensitive to gender. But, according to the response of the same prisoners there were in adequate
facilities.

23
 CHAPTER FIVE

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 conclusion

Prison center is an institution of the State where law offenders are kept in custody awaiting their trial
and convicted persons serving their sentence for the offence Committed. A prisoner is a person who is
confined in prison after getting proper and legitimate punishment from a court or person that is
lawfully remanded by the court having committed an offencence (Harding,R M,e Court Issue, 1998)

The international human rights law perceived prison as a place for the treatment of the convicted
person. (Harigovind,P C, 2013)

The protection and respect for the human rights of a person depends upon his status, whether he is a
citizen or non-citizen, freeman or prisoner, child Or adult, male or female meaning some rights are
not absolute but can be Interfered with by the State, such rights among others include the right to
liberty, the right to privacy, conjugal rights (Brown,D K, 2001)

Prisoners' rights in international law are found in a number of international treaties. For the most
part these treaties came into existence following the two World Wars and the body of law continues
to be added to and amended.

Accordingly, art.21 (1) of FDRE constitution professed that “all people under custody persons
imprison up on conviction and sentencing have the right to treatments respecting their human
dignity”. These rights include the right to be provide with clean area (environment, clean food, and
clean water). Their health condition shall be protect as it state under FDRE constitution.
24
The rights of prisoners are protected under FDRE constitution and different international conventions,
practically any one can observe the violation of prisoner’s rights. Accordingly, some of the problems in the
relation to prisoner are right healthy in Debre tabor prison center is state as follows.

The failure of the prison center as a whole to provide services in transporting inmates to nearby clinics has
resulted in some of the convicts being found practically untreated.

No sufficient water is provide for prisoners to clean their bedroom, clothier, bodies which has result several
prisoners are cause to different types of disease like contagious disease, typhoid, typhus, hemorrhoids, malaria
and there is no full implementation of prisoners right access to health services.

5.2. Recommendation

 Based on the findings, the researcher of the paper would like to forward his recommendation to
be given due to attention. As the writer assessed, prisoners are facing health problems in Debre
Tabor prison center .To solve health problems like prison center should increase the availability
of facilities, like adequate health care, infrastructures [e.g. hospitals, community health
facilities, trained health care professionals.
 The writer also investigated in the existence lack of equipment’s and drugs for prisoners.
Therefore, Debre Tabor prison center has to give due attentions in providing the necessary
equipment’s for prisoners which are used in common and individually like drugs,
chairs,tables,blankets,clean and sufficient beds.
 The researcher also observed with the lack of clean and quality food including clean water is not
sufficiently provided for prisoners. Additionally, the prison should provided physical
accessibility, economical accessibility, and information accessibility for prisoners.
 There is shortage of skilled medical man power in prisons to solve such problem the prison
should increase its budget of health facilities.

25
 REFERENCES

Brown, D K, “A Working Paper on Labour Standards: Where Do They Belong on the

International Trade Agenda?” (2001) TuftsUniversity 4Quigley, W P, “Symposium, Prison Work,

Wages and Catholic Social Thought: Justice

Demands Decent Work for Decent Wages, Even for Prisoners”,

(2004)44SantaClaraLRev1159 at 1164.

Abebe(2001) research on some enforcements of rights,Adis Ababa,Ethiopia.

Andargachew (2004) the crime problem and its correction. Addis Ababa University press vol.2.

Bohn.NRobert andN.Keitl(2005), introduction to criminal justice.M.GrowHillcompany, United

states of America

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia constitution,(year,1995:Art t.21),1 tear,No.1

Addis, Ababa, Ethiopia

Health in prisoner. WHO, Guide to the Essential in prison. Health,(eocgalegen).

Kassaye (2001) essential notes on civic and ethical education Adis,Ababa,Ethiopia.
Band Maaza J.(2011),Research on some aspects of prisoners Rigt,Addis Ababa,Ethiopia.
P.C.SSinna (2002) essentials, notes on civic and ethical education,Adis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Sally Wehmeir,Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary,((2006),England
Sintaye (2001) essentials, notes on civic and ethical education, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Teferi,(2002),Essential Notes on Civic and Ethical Education, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

WBE (20011) the criminal problem and punishment Addis Ababa

University.WWW.academic.edu/11928 prisoners

26
Appendex A

Debre Tabor University

Collage of social science and Humanities

Department of civics and ethical studies

Questionnaires

The main aim of this questionnaire is to serve as a data collection instrument for research conduct
assessing the prisoners right of access to health care service in prison center. The data collected
from this questionnaire used for the academic issues and nothing else, so, since secrecy of the data
collected from the respondent is secured, respondants are kindly requested to give genuine and clear
information freely.

Thank you

Instruction

Age……………………………….. 18-30 31-50

Above 50

Sex…………………………………….. male female

JOB…………………………………………………………….

Education status………………… Illiteracy Certificate Diploma

Degree Masters
27
Part1: questions response by both prisoners and civil servants

1 How does you measure Debre Tabor prison center such as food, clean cloth and clean dormitory to
the person found under the center?

A. very high B.high C Medium D Low E very low

2 Where you get totality of health and sufficient it is?

1. Within their clinic B.Outside the prison clinic C both D none

3When prisoners get an access to health service in the prison center?

A. during serious illness B during habitual illness C before and after illness D there is no access
to health services.

4 How do you measure Debre Tabor prison center level of quality and quantity of food?

A. Very high B high C medium D low E very low

5 Is living condition in the dormitories over crowded?

A yes b no

6 Is the dorm is comfortable?

A yes B no

7 How to measure level quality of health service in their clinic?

A very high B High C medium D low E very low

Part:2 questions response by only by civil servant.

8 What do you think about prisoner treatment of the right to in Debre Tabor prison center?

9 What are the minimum obligation of the stake holders to respect the human right and right health
of prisoners?

Part: 3 questions response by only prisoners.

9. Please, explain your living condition with in your dormitories?

28
11 Have you ever sick due to and civil service

Appendix B

Part:5 Interview for both civil servant and prisoners

12 What is the availability, accessibility and quality of health services of the prison center?

13What is the level of scientific health facilities and drugs for prisoners in the prison center?

14 Is the medical doctors respect the principle of the medical ethics and patient prisoners in Debre
Tabor prison center?

29