Abstract:
The main objective of prisons in general and Kenyan in particular is to rehabilitate
the inmates facilitate acquisition of self-dependence skills with a view of avoidance
of repeat. The aim of this research was to interrogate the effect on male and female
inmates’ life in prison in their journey of rehabilitation. The study was directed by
the objective; to examine the effect of prison programs on inmates’ rehabilitation.
The study employed descriptive survey research design. Questionnaires, interview
guides as well as Focus Group Discussions were adopted to gather both quantitative
and qualitative data. The investigation targeted 500 convicts who included first-time
offenders and recidivists, 30 prison warders, and 4 key informers in Thika main and
women prison. Stratified sampling was used in the investigation to first place the
convicts according to gender to get three hundred male and two hundred female
convicts. A sample size of 30% of the entire population of male and female convicts
and prison warders was used in the investigation to get 90 male, 60 female convicts
and 9 prison officers. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively by percentages
and mode and were recorded in graphs and tables. Qualitative data were examined
thematically and in patterns presented and formed in verbatim and narrative forms.
The study established that inmates participated in elaborate prison programs which
helped them ease the pain of imprisonment and gave them hope of getting
employment after imprisonment making them more positive about future.
Therefore, the study recommended that the prison management should sensitize
inmates on the essence of the prison programs as they offer life skills which are
supposed to help them when easily fit they go back to society. The government
should also improve the rehabilitative programs and provide more resources geared
towards these programs. Further, the government should set aside stipends to
facilitate inmates to start a business after imprisonment using some of the skills
acquired while in prison.
Keywords: Prison Programs, Rehab
