TITLE:
Availability of Prisoners Reformation Programmes and Uptake Determinants at Kitengela Prison in Kenya
AUTHORS:
Odhiambo Dickson Osina, John Onyango Omboto
KEYWORDS:
Prison-Based Reformation Programmes, Determinants of Prisoners’ Placement on Reformation Programmes, Kenya
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
26,
2024
ABSTRACT: Prisons world over are mandated to reform prisoners and rehabilitate them back into the society as law abiding citizens. This is accomplished through several reformation programmes. A study conducted at Kitengela prison in Kajiado County, Kenya, sought to analyse the available prisoners’ reformation programmes employed in rehabilitation at the prison. Specifically, the study analysed the implementation of the programmes, established the challenges faced in implementation, and found out possible control strategies for the challenges. The study was guided by Reformation Theory of punishment and adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population comprised of convicts and the prison staff from which a sample size of 113 respondents were selected by simple random sampling method to participate in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGD) and Key Informants interview. Quantitative data was analysed and presented in percentages, tables, and diagrams while qualitative data was thematically narrated. The study established that for prisoners, carpentry was the most available at 100%, welding 97.5% and training in masonry 95%. While on the programmes that are operational, welding, carpentry, and horticulture had 77.50%, 74.68%, and 58.75% respectively. The most available psychological program was counselling services at 87.50%, while on education, Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education levels were the most available, operational and successfully implemented. The determinants of a prisoner’s placement on specific programmes are income generation to the government, the need for post-release employment, need to reform, making incarceration bearable, and availability of infrastructures among others. This paper is an in-depth analysis of the available programs, and the factors influencing placement of prisoners in particular reformation programmes.