Social Implications Of Correctional Rehabilitation For The Post-Release Wellbeing Of Prisoners In Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

After serving their terms in prison, inmates return to society. Following imprisonment, the prisoner and his family are adversely affected and society faces the challenge of how to deal with them as they return home. This touches on the obligations of the ex-offender, his or her family, the victim, the community, and the state. The purpose of this study was to investigate the social implications of correctional rehabilitation for prisoner’ post-incarceration wellbeing with specific reference to Uasin Gishu County. The objectives of the study were: to examine the types of correctional rehabilitation services available to prisoners’; to assess the influence of prison social support services and training programmes on prisoners’ post release wellbeing; to evaluate the effects of social relations on prisoners’ post release wellbeing and to analyze the impact of prisoners’ livelihood strategies on their post release wellbeing. The study was limited to individuals who had been convicted and imprisoned for over two years. This study was grounded on the Rehabilitation Model, Labelling Theory and Rational Choice Theory. The study targeted ex-prisoners, prison officers, probation officers and; local leaders from Uasin Gishu County. A sample of 160 was drawn from 462 ex-prisoners released between 2010 and 2021 from Ngeria farm prison, Eldoret women’s prison and Eldoret main prison. Purposive sampling was used to select Uasin Gishu County and its six sub-counties: Ainabkoi, Moiben, Kesses, Kapseret, Turbo and Soy. Snowball sampling was used to select ex prisoners. Interview guides were used to gather information. The content validity of the instrument was determined by the researcher discussing the items in the instrument with the supervisors, lecturers from the department and colleagues. The interview schedule data was first subjected to preliminary processing through validation, coding and editing and tabulated before its readiness for analysis with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS V. 20) computer package as a ‘toolbox’ to analyze data related to objectives. Findings revealed that rehabilitation services were not enhancing the wellbeing of ex- prisoners. Prisoners abused drugs and avoidance to cope with hardships such as unemployment, illness and stigma from communities after being released. The study concluded that post-release rehabilitation was key in ensuring that ex-convicts adjusted to the communities’ environment without resorting to aggression and drug abuse which would eventually land them back to prison. Released prisoners wellbeing could further be improved through improved social relations before release, economic and psychological empowerment. Adoption of ex-prisoners to the community was important and a requirement for post release rehabilitation services. The study recommends that the prison department with support from the government should develop a multiagency collaboration and develop comprehensive post release care for ex-convicts to ensure continuity of care, and to provide consistent assistance to offenders beyond the prison environment.