FACTORS INFLUENCING RE OFFENDING BY CRIMINALS AND CHALLENGES IN THE CONTROL OF RECIDIVISM IN NIGERIA (original) (raw)
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An Aetiological Study of Criminal Recidivism in Nigeria
Recidivism is generally used for describing repetitious criminal activity, and a recidivist offender is an individual who engages in such activity. Every year, a large number of prisoners are released from prisons in Nigeria. A large chunk of these released persons return to prison before two years. Hence, this study investigates the etiological factors of recidivism in Nigeria. The study concentrates on the causes of recidivism as it relates to the lapses in the Nigerian prison circle. The rehabilitative model in the Nigerian prison system is faulty, therefore attempt to equip prisoners with the necessary skills in order to try to re-integrate society and consequently prevent recidivism, are not efficient and sufficient. Some of the obstacles to successful re-integration in Nigeria arise from the lapses in the Nigerian prison system, such as the poor rehabilitation model. There have been no or few rigorous studies done on the rehabilitation model in Nigeria; hence this study. The causes of recidivism as it relates to the lapses in the Nigeria prison system were discussed and remedies to reduce it were rendered.
Kampala International University, Uganda, 2023
In the light of seemingly increasing recidivism rates amongst inmates, this study investigates the effectiveness of reformatory programmes in correctional institutions and the trigger factors of recidivistic tendencies amongst ex-convicts in South- South, Nigeria. The study adopts the descriptive survey design, where the purposive and snowball sampling techniques were further adopted in the administration of the research instruments to the relevant respondents for the study. It draws from Robert Agnew’s general strain theory to present an explanation of the act of recidivism amongst ex- convicts. An in-depth interview guide was adopted to serve as the research instruments for eliciting relevant information from the respondents. A total of 43 ex- convicts were utilized as respondents for the study. Findings from the study suggests that although the reformatory programmes of correctional institutions in South-South Nigeria were well designed and structured to achieve criminal reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration; however, factors such as endemic prison subculture, reintegration labelling effects, and employability redundancy of ex-convicts were significantly implicated as the primary causative factors of criminal recidivistic tendencies. Consequently, the study recommends intensive community sensitization and re-orientation via awareness campaigns to facilitate acceptability and reintegration; immediate provision of gainful employment opportunities for ex-convicts; and the adoption of non-custodial sentences as an alternative to criminal incarceration.
Continuous Ex-Offenders’ Reformation and Avoidance of Recidivistic Acts in Nigeria
International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 2020
This paper arose from very serious concern emanating from the skyrocketed cases of recidivistic occurrences in Nigeria which as observed impact negatively on the Nigerian prison reformatory and rehabilitation processes vis-à-vis the security of lives and property. It is common now in Nigeria that our prison population keeps increasing without the corresponding facilities, manpower, and resources to effectively and efficiently reform inmates that after release would be better law-abiding and self-sustaining. From the study, it was revealed that ex-offenders become more hardened and daring, and prefer to habituate the prison environment to outside society. The lack and absence of training tools like mechanic workshops, tailoring shops, and more saddening the cruelty meted out on them inside the prison makes it worse; the stigmatization and outright denial of job opportunities as compared to their counterparts who are not exoffenders are offensive to them. The study recommends as follows: Government should equip all correctional facilities in Nigeria with the approved international standards that through it inmates, after release, can be meaningfully engaged and be relatively self-sustaining; The government through its agencies like National Orientation Agency, federal radio, and television in conjunction with the religious bodies, sensitize the public on the danger of stigmatizing ex-convicts because it has far-reaching consequences; With the help of social workers, there should be follow-up and an evaluative scheme that requires an ex-offender constantly be monitored to prevent reoffending; and Schools should be established in the prisons and properly funded by the government to help to functionally educate and reshape the minds of the inmates so that upon release they will be better citizens.
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Against the background of prison congestion and increase rate of recidivism in Nigeria, this paper examines the failure of the Nigerian Prison Service rehabilitative model. It discovered that the “criminal label” acquired by the offenders on conviction is reinforced by prisonization and inmates’ subculture. The inmates leave the prisons worse off on release, only to face a society whose members identify them only with that label. In want of what to do to eke out a living, crime often remains the only option, and they are recycled back to prison. The paper calls for alternative incarceration model as provided by reintegration. Such reintegration techniques as work-release programmes, parole, academic-pass programmes and the use of prison volunteers offer the advantage of keeping the convicts behind bars as well as allowing them to mix frequently with members of the society, whom they will meet on completion of their imprisonment term.
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Recidivism is a growing problem in the world – in Nigeria and Kwara State inclusive. Therefore, this study investigated solutions to recidivism as perceived by prison officers in Kwara State. The contributions of moderating variables of gender, religion and years in service were also investigated. Descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all the prison officers estimated at 615 in Kwara State. Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to select 250 prison officers from all the five prison centers in Kwara State. A questionnaire that was designed by the researchers served as the instrument for data collection. The validity and reliability of the instrument were duly established. The data were analysed using percentages, t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that recidivism rate will be drastically reduced if prison rehabilitation programmes are being handled by professi...
Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2013
In recent times, recidivism has not only been on the increase in sub-Saharan Africa, but has become a major social problem to the society. Discharged prisoners are faced with challenges of reintegration as a result of some sociocultural factors which tend to affect efforts in that direction. Consequently, discharged prisoners often pose a threat to sustainable development because they can very easily relapse to crime when they are unable to reintegrate in the society. This paper examined the socio-cultural factors affecting the reintegration of discharged prisoners in Anambra State. The study employed qualitative research method with the population comprising adult members of the public, discharged prisoners, opinion leaders and staff of Nigeria prisons who were selected across randomly selected communities within two purposively chosen locations of Onitsha and Awka. Findings indicated that discharged prisoners are stigmatized both by societal members and existing laws. This study recommends that the government and other non-governmental agencies must step up their efforts to recondition the debasing conditions of Nigeria prison as well as review relevant laws to ensure systematic post incarceration rehabilitation and reintegration of discharged prisoners into the society, so that they can contribute to growth and sustainable development of the society.
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