Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Reforms in prisons is evident in Kenyan prisons today, but the question of the impact of the reforms on rehabilitation of offenders has not been established. The study generally sought to establish the impact of prison reforms on rehabilitation of offenders in Narok prison. Specific objectives of this study were to determine whether opening of prison to outside contact has contributed to rehabilitation of offenders and to establish whether prisoner are re-offending despite reforms on opening of prisons to outside contact.
Respondents in this study were both recidivists and ex-offenders from Narok prison. The study used stratified sampling technique to arrive at 36 respondents, where 34 are recidivists and the remaining 12 are ex-offenders. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through the aid of questionnaires. Data were analyzed and presented using tables, percentages and charts.
The study established that most of the respondents were male with primary education level and below, none of the respondents had acquired university level education. The study found out that reforms in opening of prison to contact with outside had been witnessed in Narok prison and prisoners preferred visitation as a mode of contact with outside as opposed to telephone and letters. Findings of the study have shown that opening of prisons to outside contact has aided in rehabilitation of offenders through financial, moral, spiritual and material support. External and demographic factors such as stigma, unemployment, peer influence, age, education level and marital status have contributed to reoffending after release from Prison.
The study concluded that the true measure of rehabilitation is attainment of a permanent change of behavior thus recommended that some adjustment and improvement such as specialization on intervention programs, support from the county government, focusing more on youth offenders and sensitization of the public to accept back offenders after release should be made in order to realize fully the aim of prison reform and rehabilitation process.
