Analysis of Reformation Programmes and Rehabilitation of Prisoners at Kitengela Prison, Kajiado County, Kenya
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Date
2025-04
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Prisons world over are mandated to reform and rehabilitate prisoners into law abiding citizens. Therefore, the general objective of this research was to analyse the prisoners' reformation programmes employed in rehabilitation at Kitengela prison in Kajiado County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to assess the reformation programmes employed in rehabilitation of the convicts, analyse the implementation of the reformation programmes, establish the challenges facing implementation of the programmes, and to establish control strategies for the challenges facing the implementation of the reformation programmes. The study was guided by Reformation Theory of punishment which posits that punishment should be transformative rather than retributive. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, and the target population comprised of convicts and the prison staff. From this population, a sample size of 113 respondents were selected by simple random sampling method. The study employed questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGD) and Key Informants interview to collect data. Quantitative data was analysed and presented in percentages, tables, and diagrams while qualitative was thematically narrated. The study established that for prisoners, carpentry was the most available at 100%, masonry 95% and welding programs 97.5%. While on operationability, 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 KCPE and KCSE levels were the most available, operational and successfully implemented. On challenges, prisoners rated inadequate facilities at 68.75% and insufficient human resources at 81.25%. To prison officers, overpopulation in prisons as a challenge stood at 80.0% while lack of prisoners' interest in participating in programs stood at 60.0%. Poor prison leadership and management was pointed out by 80.0% prison officers and 58.75% prisoners. To make the programs more effective the study recommends provision of adequate resources, introduction of marketable courses, partnership with other institutions, and eradication of corruption and mismanagement. Further, a study is recommended to establish why prisoners have lower opinion of programmes compared to prison officers. It is expected that the findings of this study will benefit offender rehabilitation approaches, the knowledge bank, policy formulation and the general society if reformation and rehabilitation of convicts is enhanced.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of
Master of Arts in Security and Policing Studies of Kenyatta University, April 2025.
Supervisor
John Omboto