Effect and Prospect of Recidivism on Nigerian Correctional Institution, a Case Study of Olokuta Correctional Centre, Akure, Ondo State.

ABSTRACT
This project was carried out to investigate the effect and prospect of recidivism on Nigerian correctional institution, a case study of Olokuta correctional centre, akure, ondo state. Three research questions and objectives were raised for the study. Some literature review on effect and prospect of recidivism on Nigerian correctional institution, a case study of Akure correctional institution were reviewed. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of 709 inmates particularly, the inmates that committed crime for more than one time, in Olokuta Correctional Centre, Akure, Ondo state. Simple random sampling techniques were used to select 256 inmates used for the study.

A self-structured questionnaire were used to gather information from the respondents. The completed questionnaire were coded and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics of frequency counts and simple percentage were used to analyse the socio-demographic data (section A), while inferential statistics of chi-square (X²) were used to test the hypotheses formulated at 0.05 level of significance.

The study revealed that there is no single factor that is responsible for recidivism, there is the interplay of a number of variables that lure released inmates into rooffending, negative public or societal reaction and attitudes towards released inmates, prison subculture, poor correctional facilities, familial and structural problems, peer influence and substance abuse. The study also revealed that recidivism has adverse effects on recidivists themselves, prison system and the entire society, especially the taxpayers who bear the major cost of maintaining the Nigerian criminal justice system which include the prison service.

It was then concluded and recommended that the government, alongside other relevant organizations, should furnish the prison system with the state-of-the-art correctional facilities for inmates to access as and when due. Conscientious efforts should be made by the Federal Government of Nigeria to extend the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) programme which is established only in the Kirikiri, Port Harcourt and Enugu prisons, to at least, one prison in each State in the Federation. The Federal Government of Nigeria should realise that the process of reformation and rehabilitation of inmates is an integral aspect of the total process of social and political reconstruction. Therefore, the development of prisons should be proactively and responsively considered in the national development plans.

Key Words: Prospect, recidivism, Nigerian, correctional institution.
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