Prisons Rehabilitation Programmes in Nigeria: A Study of Inmates Perception in Okaka Prison, Bayelsa State

Ekpenyong Nkereuwem Stephen, Undutimi Johnny Dudafa

Abstract


The international approach that the Nigerian government subscribes to, perceive rehabilitation as ensuring that imprisoned offender’s is treated with care and dignity such that their re-entry to society should not be a challenge (Cilliers & Smit, 2007; Singh, 2008). But in Nigeria, there is still no difference between rehabilitation and incarceration due to the correctional environment. The rate of incarceration has increased dramatically where prisons are filled to capacity with an alarming overcrowding that leads to bad environments for the offenders. Crime continues inside the prison walls and gangs are rife behind bars (Singh, 2008). The available data on recidivism in Nigeria is an indication that the ex-offenders that are
released by the correctional centers are not rehabilitated (Freeman, 2003). Hence this paper seeks to ascertain the effectiveness of Okaka Prison service in Nigeria on inmate’s rehabilitation.


Keywords


Rehabilitation; Recidivism; Correctional centre; Incarceration; Prisoners

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/n

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