IMPACT OF REFORMATORY PROGRAMMES ON INMATES REINTEGRATION INTO THE SOCIETY IN GOMBE CENTRAL PRISON, GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

Diana Inusa & Amina Abba Sanda

Department of Continuing Education and Extension Services,

Faculty of Education, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Email: dianainuwa@gmail.com & aminaabbasanda@gmail.com

Abstract

Reformation of prison inmates is one of the most important functions of the Nigerian prisons service; the main focus of this study was to determine the impact of reformatory programmes on inmates reintegration into the society in Gombe Central Prison, Gombe State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to determine: the impact of vocational and Literacy education services as reformatory programmes on inmates’ reintegration into the society in Gombe Central Prison. The study adopted a survey design. The target population of the study was three hundred (300) convicted inmates, out of which one hundred and sixty nine (169) inmates were selected through simple random sampling technique. The instrument used was a fifteen (15) item questionnaire. The instrument was tested for reliability, using split-half alpha. The correlation coefficient r= 0.74 was obtained; which indicates that the instrument is highly reliable. Data collected was analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The findings showed that the vocational skills they acquired will enable them become self-reliant and contribute to the development of the society; Literacy education has impacted to a large extent on their reintegration into the society as they can now read, write, calculate figures and further their education. The study concludes that the reformatory programmes in Gombe Central Prison, Gombe State, Nigeria has a high impact on inmates reintegration into the society. Recommendations were made based on the findings of the study amongst which was Government and donor agencies should be encouraged through advocacy to fund the prisons; in the areas of vocational education programmes by providing  modern vocational equipment, facilities, tools and takeoff grant should be given to inmates after they are released.

Keywords: Gombe Central Prison, Impact, Inmates, Reformatory Programmes, Reintegration.