Chapter one

Introduction 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Globally the latest figures available indicate that more than 8.75 million people are being held in penal institutions around the world, either as pre-trial detainees (remand prisoners) or having been convicted and sentenced. Since, according to the United Nations Population Fund report The State of World Population, 2021, there were about 6.2 billion people in the world in 2021, this means that the world prison population rate is approximately 140 per 100,000 citizens. To put it another way, about 1 out of every 700 persons in the world is being held in a penal institution. The countries with the highest prison populations

The United States of America has the highest prison population rate in the world: 686 per 100,000 of the national population at the end of 2001, almost five times the overall world rate. Second on the world list is the Cayman Islands, with a rate of 664 per 100,000 in May 2002. The Cayman Islands is a small Caribbean territory whose prison population is substantially inflated by the presence of drug smugglers who are nationals of other countries. After the United States and the Cayman Islands come the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan (all former republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and then Belize, Bermuda, Suriname and Dominica (all bordering on or islands of the Caribbean); these 10 countries and territories all have rates exceeding 400 per 100,000.

In Nigeria Reports from the National Working Group on Prison Reform and Decongestion shows that the total number of prisoners as at 2005 was between 40,000 and 45,000. By 2016, the total number of in-mates as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics has increased to 68,686. It must also be noted that the report shows that the capacity of the prisons could only contain 50,803 inmates. This therefore leaves us with questions as to where the remaining 17, 883 are kept. President Mohammed Buhari in fact aired his concern about the deplorable state of these prisons noting that it is a national scandal as many prisons are overcrowded by 90%.

Generally, news of crime and criminal acts elicit different reactions from the people. Sometimes people are intrigued, attracted or repelled, amused or frightened. While interest in crime has usually been high, understanding why it occurs and what to do about it has always been a problem. The reality is that crime is inevitable and has both positive and negative roles to play in human society. In traditional societies, criminal activities manifested in petty crime such as stealing, burglary, rape among others. However, with increase in the level of unemployment and education, Nigeria has now witnessed high level of criminal activities.

As a result of this, criminal activities such as kidnapping terrorism, robbery, Arson, and so on are in a high rate which has led to the persecution of these offenders and landing them into correctional centers in Nigeria.

In layman's terms, a crime is an illegal conduct that is penalized by the state or another authority. In modern criminal law, there is no simple and universally agreed meaning of the term crime; however legislative definitions have been supplied for specific purposes

There is no better way to help prison inmates avoid breaking in and out of jail cycle and functioning suitably in the society on release, than assisting them acquire the skills needed to succeed in later life through rehabilitation (Uche, Uche, Ezumah, Ebue, Okafor & Ezegbe, 2015). Prison is an institution designed to securely house people who have been convicted of crimes or are on awaiting trial. These individuals known as prisoners or inmates are kept in continuous custody on a short or long-term basis. Usually, the more serious the offence, the longer the prison term imposed. Awake (2005) defined prison as a total institution or a place of residence and work, where a large number of like situated individuals are cut off from the wider society for an appreciable period of time together, lead and enforce formally administered round of life. This new environment is expected to provide the prisoners/inmates with particular opportunities of rethinking, stock taking and repentance from old ways (Omorogiuwa, 2014). Incarceration entails imprisonment or confinement as a deterrent without associating any privileges to it while rehabilitation of offenders may imply a more cooperative and remedial approach (Singh, 2008). Hence, the significant need for rehabilitation programmes in the transformation and restoration of prison inmates is recognized (Tanimu, 2010) Effective rehabilitation programmes in prisons could assist inmates acquire suitable skills, promote prospect development as well as attitudinal and behavioural changes. Hence, prison rehabilitation programmes are considered helpful provisions offered to inmates to ensure and promote their physical, mental-health, psychological, social, vocational and economic potentials (Asokhia & Agbonluae, 2013). For any meaningful rehabilitation to take place in a prison, the rehabilitation services must first be based upon adequate provisions, which should be accessible to the inmates (Asokhia & Agbonluae, 2013). There are a number of prison rehabilitation programmes for inmates which provide specific skills crucial for preparing inmates for better living on release from the prison; while the main objectives of the prisons service, which is the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates can be actualized through programmes such as: social case and group work/intervention, recreational activities, educational programmes and skills acquisition programmes (Asokhia & Agbonluae, 2013). As a consequence, prison inmates that incorporate rehabilitation services during confinement are likely to gain skills that could provide employment and entrepreneurial opportunities upon their release. The prisons services providers do not only identify the causes of the inmates’ anti-social behaviours, but ensures the path to reformation by impacting on their potentials and subsequent change unto social functioning (Omorogiuwa, 2014). According to Omorogiuwa (2014), some of the specific objectives of rehabilitation services in Nigerian prisons include: to promote the provision of adequate and accessible recreational facilities and services for the prison inmates, provision of social welfare services for the prison inmates, development of skill acquisition programs and educational services. The philosophy of the Nigerian prison service is that treatment and rehabilitation of offenders can be achieved through carefully designed and well-articulated reformative and rehabilitative programmes aimed at inculcating discipline, respect for the law and order and regard for the dignity of honest labour (Asokhia & Agbonluae, 2013). Igbo (2007) indicates that the rehabilitation of prison inmates ought to begin from the first day of admission into the prison till the day of discharge. This is to ensure that they utilize the skills acquired through rehabilitation programmes to live a law abiding and meaningful life in the society. Rehabilitation services in Nigerian prisons therefore, should be aimed at increasing the educational and vocational skills of inmates and their chances of success upon release (Asokhia & Agbonluae, 2013). This is important for inmates particularly as a number of them are socially and economically deprived. According to Sutton (1993), educational programmes provided in the prisons help to keep inmates meaningfully busy, change their attitudes or behaviour and enable employment and vocational skills for later life prospects. Uche et al. (2015) indicate that “the prison authorities with the efforts of the government have provided various skill acquisition activities which range from tailoring, art and craft work, welding, carpentry and farming among others”, to empower and ensure inmates vocational supports on release. Research acknowledged that exposure of prison inmates to recreational activities is significant to their upkeep, good health and long life (Mgbor & Enuku, 2003). This does not only promote healthy living but also keeps inmates eventful (Asokhia & Agbonluae, 2013). Helping professionals in the prisons; use social intervention measures while providing counselling, case work and after care services as a rehabilitative strategy to address inmates’ crises situations (Tanimu, 2010). Ekpenyong and Dudafa (2016) indicate that providing inmates with the basic tools of social intervention enables targeting behaviors that can be changed; and giving the chance for substitute to an antisocial lifestyle. Although, it is likely that some inmates often choose to change on their own, however, a number of inmates require guided assistance (Asokhia & Agbonluae, 2013), which promotes effective functioning. Prisons are assigned the dual responsibilities of ensuring the reformation/rehabilitation as well as the retribution of offenders (Nigerian Prisons Services, 2009). However, the Nigerian Prisons Service is in a dilemma because rehabilitation and retribution practices are not compatible (Ekpenyong and Dudafa 2016), for reintegrating inmates. Given the increasing local and global need for reintegration processes to revitalize inmates, this study therefore assesses the effects of rehabilitation programmes on prison inmates.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Controlling crime and criminality through prison rehabilitation programmes have been of great concern to many citizens and the Nigerian government in general. This is not only because many inmates come out worse-off than they came-in but also because Nigerian prisons have been enormously characterized by some problems which several studies have indicated to be the reasons for the inadequacy of the system as a corrective institution., Adetula & Fatusan (2010) have asserted that contact with the prison institutions in Nigeria makes the less hardened individuals to be more hardened in criminality activities upon release with more tendencies than not to relapse to criminal activities, which generates high frequency of recidivism. In the same vein, the penal institutions sub-systems; the justice, the police, prison yard and the operative’s ways of administering and enhancing criminal behaviour and recidivists than serving deterrence, repentance, reformatory and reconciliatory attitudes between reconvicts and people in free society to enhance confidence in physical and conceptual security (Adetula et al, 2010).  A cursory look at the lock-up pattern and content of most Nigerian prisons leaves much to be desired. For instance, the remand and convict’s populations, the minor and serious offenders, the younger and older inmates are not systematically sorted out in different cells according to the Standard Minimum Rule (SMR) for imprisonment, which prescribes that prisoners should be locked up according to their various categories.

However, where they are in existence, these facilities which include social and recreational facilities have been reported to be in bad shapes. Some ex-convicts have reported poor infrastructures and housing facilities of some Nigerian prisons. Many prisons still parade the structure built over fifty years ago with the rooms and cells not good for human habitation while the bedding are absent in most cases. These poor living conditions could be partly responsible for most jailbreaks and maladjustment behaviour witnessed among most inmates.

A casual observation of the population that goes in and out of the prisons in Nigeria presupposes that there are some problems in the system, hence the prisons system has not been able to live up to its expected role in Nigeria. The worry about the manifestation that Nigerian prisons has not lived up to expectations in terms of impacting positively on lives and vocations of inmates has raised several questions that have not yet been completely addressed on the system’s functions and existence. It is to this the study will center on the effects of incarceration and rehabilitation on crime prevention in Nigeria.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To identify the impact of rehabilitation programmes on crime prevention.

2. To examine the effect of incarceration on crime prevention in Nigeria.

3. To identify the problems with rehabilitation of prisoners in Nigerian prisons.

4. To determine the relevance of the rehabilitation programmes for prison inmates.

5.To recommend ways forward on crime control in Nigeria.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions shall guide this study and in the course of this research, we shall attempt to find answers to the following questions:

1. What is the impact of rehabilitation programmes on crime prevention?

2. What is the effect of incarceration on crime prevention in Nigeria?

3. What are the problems with rehabilitation of prisoners in Nigerian prisons?

4. What is the relevance of the rehabilitation programmes for prison inmates?

5. What are the recommended ways  to crime control in Nigeria?

1.5     Hypotheses

In line with the statement of research problems and the objectives of this thesis, the following hypotheses will be tested:

HO1: there is no significant effect of rehabilitation programmes on crime prevention.

HO2: there is no significant effect of incarceration on crime prevention in Nigeria.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

Earlier research carried out on incarceration and rehabilitation have been aimed at the use of incarceration and rehabilitation as forms/methods of punishing or correcting offenders, and which of these methods is most suitable for use by the Criminal Justice System in dealing with criminals.

This study however, does not only seek to determine the punitive or corrective prowess of incarceration and rehabilitation but goes further to examine, and determine the effectiveness of incarceration and rehabilitation on crime prevention. Findings from this study will also provide effective strategies to reduce recidivism and prevent future crime. Societies can benefit from a decrease in criminal activities resulting in safer communities.

It will also provide policy makers with crucial evidence to inform the development of effective and evidence based criminal justice policies such as design of correctional programs and facilities, and integration of rehabilitation strategies.

 The findings of the study will also add to literature on awareness, and the complex relationship between incarceration and recidivism.

1.7   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study would cover the effects of Incarceration and Rehabilitation on Crime Prevention in Nigeria from 2010-2022. The study will be carried out among staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service. The target population of the study will be the jailors, warders, and medical officer/psychiatrist of the Pankshin Custodial Centre. The geographical area is Pankshin Local Government, Plateau State.