Effects Of Drug Abuse Among Prison Inmates In Kenya: A Case Study Of Narok Government Prison. Narok County.

Abstract

ABSTRACT This project seeks to establish effects of drug abuse among prison inmates in Kenya. Drugs are chemical substances that modify mental, emotional and behavioural functioning. On the other hand drug abuse is the excessive use of a drug without medical justification. The key objective of the study was to identify social interaction problem of drug abuse among prison inmates in Kenya in reference to Narok Government Prison as a case study. Similarly, the study was propelled by two other objectives which included, describing socio-economic problems of drug abuse among prison inmates in Kenya and to investigate the effectiveness of available stategies to adress drug abuse among prison inmates in Kenya. The research also sort to establish the extent on which the inmate abuse drugs. Nonetheless, despite most of studies being carried out on drug abuse, the hidden prison population have been left out in many instances. The researcher recommends that other researchers and scholars should do further research on the effects of drug abuse among the prison inmates and how the problem can be dealt with as this would enable the government to employ practice measures in countering the drug abuse menace in prisons. Various studies have also demonstrated the need for the enhancement of mental health services to cope with the high number of mentally ill prison inmates, including those with substance related problems. Contemporary studies have further shown that certain personality profiles are linked to some preferential choice of drug and that prisons are a high-risk environment for drug initiation. There are very few studies on substance use among prisoners in Africa as compared to their western counterparts. This is despite literature repeatedly showing criminal activity and social disorder as major outcomes of substance use. The study findings may help the prison department and administrators of prisons in the development of strategies for inmates’ behaviour management. The study findings may also help inmates by making them aware of effects of drug and substance abuse and hence be more cautious to their health. The findings may also be useful to prison management to come up with drug policies and put in place suggested counselling interventions. In spite of the research permit and letters of introduction from relevant authorities, suspicion of the area of research will be likely to cause unnecessary delays because Drug use is sensitive and many people may withhold vital information. The results cannot be generalized to all prisons in the country. This is because different prisons may have different ways of addressing the problem of drugs abuse among inmates.