An Assessment of Rehabilitatory Function of Nigeria Prison Service
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to assess the rehabilitation of prisoners (i.e inmates) in Makurdi prison. To attain this objective, the following objectives were used.
- To assess the extent of rehabilitation in the Nigeria prison service.
- To assess the living conditions of the prisoners with respect to accommodation, feeding, recreational facilities e.t.c.
- To find out the barriers to rehabilitation in Nigeria prison service.
- To proffer solution that could make noble prison objectives of rehabilitation more realizable.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
The term rehabilitation attracts diverse meanings depending on the angle from which it is considered. For the purpose of this paper rehabilitation simply implies, the reforming of the personality and behaviour of convicted offenders through well designed educational and/or therapeutic treatment, ensuring that individual offender is returned back to the society as a complete, self supporting and accepted member of the society. This ordinarily seem popular because decree No. 9 of 1972 placed this responsibility on the Nigerian prison system with the hope that inmates desiring to better themselves during their incarceration, have the opportunity to participate in a number of rehabilitation programmes. The above does not reflect the reality on ground. Contrarily to global expectation, Ugwuoke (2010) has noted that the Nigerian prison service is obviously in a state of serious dilemma. This situation is essentially predicated on the perceived contradiction that is embedded in the country’s penal philosophy (this implies the country’s policy that centres on the rationalisation of punishment administered to offenders. Presently, the Nigerian penal policy emphasizes the reformation and rehabilitation of offender). Thus, one of the fundamental issues confronting prison administrators today in Nigeria is the apparent lack of agreement as to what should be the aim in dealing with convicted offenders. The reality is that despite the claims of the presence of well articulated administrative, reformative and rehabilitative programmes, ‘Nigeria prisons have remained more or less, a punitive centre’ (Ameh, 2010). Are convicts actually rehabilitated in Nigerian prisons? These, among other questions, have been the bedrock for great debates in recent time with very little head way. It is, therefore, the responsibility of this study to examine the effectiveness of Kogi state prisons in carrying out their assigned duty of rehabilitating and reforming inmates and ensuring their reintegration into the society as complete, self-supporting members of the society. The place of rehabilitation services in the reformation and transformation of prison inmates have continued to be on the front burner of public discourse in recent time (Tanimu, 2010). Leading this discourse are professionals like adult educators, counsellors, social workers, psychologists and medical doctors. These professionals seem to be at a consensus that rehabilitation programmes or services in prisons will help prison inmates acquire the much needed social skills, vocational training, attitudinal and behavioural changes, and education to be more useful to themselves and the society upon release.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter deals with the method used in collecting data required in carrying out this research work it explains the procedures that were followed and the instrument used in collecting data.
SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION
Data were collected from two main sources namely
primary source: These are materials of statistical investigation, which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment, the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary data: These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of rehabilitation program in the Nigerian prison
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of rehabilitation in Nigerian prison.
Summary
Rehabilitation programs and services in Nigerian prisons have not lived up to its mandates of increasing the educational and vocational skills of inmates, and their chances of success upon release. In order to accomplish the mandate of reformation, reintegration and reintegration of prisoners, prison officials should encourage the inmates to participate in rehabilitation programs made available to them while in prison. This is crucial for prison inmates especially because many of them entered the prisons more socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged.
Conclusion
The researcher conclude that there is no better way to help prison inmates reenter the larger society successfully and break the in-and-out of jail cycle than provide them with skills that they need to succeed in the outside world. It is disheartening to see that a crucial aspect of identifying inmates’ needs is grossly neglected in Nigeria. This is the crux of the matter. For rehabilitation services to help prisons’ inmates to develop social and vocational skills, keep them meaningfully busy, change their attitudes and behaviour so that they will have better understanding of themselves and the society, their felt needs must be addressed so as to enable them get employment and advance more educationally after serving their terms.
Recommendations
This study proposes the following as solutions to the present state of prison rehabilitation in Nigeria: The Nigerian Prisons Service should be sufficiently funded to be able to meet up with its mandates. Funding options should not only come from the federal government alone. The state and local governments should also be compelled to fund the prisons. This will help a great deal in making funds available for the service in the rehabilitation process. Training and retraining of prison officials should be placed on the front burner. The status quo where staff are not sufficiently and efficiently trained should be changed. They should be sent on refreshers courses, seminars, conferences and workshops to broaden their horizon and also improve their professionalism.
Reference
- Adoyi, P., Akpabio, I., Chigozirin, O., & Ebo, I. (2006). Administration of the prison systemin Nigeria: Legal defence and assistance project. Retrieved June 10, 2009, from http://www.bluepete.com/literature/essay/bluepete/punishmenttheory.htm
- Ameh, S. O. (2010). Prison and rehabilitation of convicts in Nigeria: A study of federal prisons in Kogi state. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, U.N.N
- Bohm, R. M., & Haley, K. N. (1999). Criminal justice (2 nd ed.). Westerville: Glencoe/McGraw- Hill.
- Dambazau, A. B. (2007). Criminology and criminal justice (2nd ed.). Kaduna: Nigeria Defence Academy Press.
- Dambazau, A. B. (1999). Criminology and criminal justice. Kaduna: Nigeria Defence Academy Press.
- Dambazau, A. B. (1994). Law and criminality. Ibadan: University Press Plc.
- Dinitz, C. & Dine, V. C. (1989). Restraining the wicked: The dangerous offender project. Toronto: Liberty of Congress Press.
- Faucoult, M. (1977). Discipline and punishment. London: Allen Lane. Igbo, E. U. M. (2007). Introduction to criminology. Nsukka: University of Nigeria Press ltd.
- Inciardi, J. A. (2005). Criminal justice (7 th ed). New York: McGraw Hills.
- Ikuteyijo, O. L. & Agunbiade, M. O. (2008). Prison reforms and HIV/AIDS in selected Nigerian prisons. Journal of international social research, ¼ summer 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2009 from http://www.sosyalarastirmalar.com/c.H1/sayi4pdf/iketuyiyo.pdf
- Siegel, L. J. (2005). Criminology: The core. London: Thompson and Wadsworth, Inc.
