Rehabilitation of Convicts in Nigerian Prisons: A Study of Federal Prisons in Kogi State

Abstract

The Federal prisons in Nigeria are charged with the uncompromising responsibility of ensuring that offenders are reformed and rehabilitated. Although prisons in recent times are considered as centres for rehabilitation, some factors have made this difficult in Nigeria. In view of this background, this study has empirically examined the rehabilitative and reformative roles of Federal prisons in Kogi state. The findings of the study have clearly shown that despite the official claims that these prisons are operating on the principles of rehabilitation and reformation, abundant evidence indicate that these institutions are still largely retributive in nature. Retributive traits are expected to be similar in other Nigerian prisons. The study made useful suggestions that could ameliorate this ugly trend.

Keywords: Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Programmes, Retribution, and Recidivism