PRACTICES, OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF SKILLS AND WORK RELATED PRISON REHABILITATION PROGRAMS AT KALITI PRISONERS CORRECTION CENTER

Abstract

Inmates are not permanently criminal and it is possible to restore them. The main objective of this study was to assess practices, opportunities and challenges of skill and work related prison rehabilitation programs at Kaliti correction and rehabilitation center. A mixed method and concurrent convergent parallel design was employed. A quantitative data was collected from 131 inmates selected through simple random sampling among those who were participating in the rehabilitation program. Qualitative data was gathered from nine participants using Semi structured interview guide and document review was made. The quantitative data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analyses. The findings of the study showed that, Majority of Inmates (62.6%) who participated in the skill and work related rehabilitation program had a high extent of involvement in the rehabilitation program and 76.3% of them perceived the program as successful. Three key factors were identified as challenges of the rehabilitation program that were administrative related challenges, infrastructural or resource related challenges and inmates motivation related challenges. However, there were different opportunities to improve the rehabilitation program like the support of concerned stakeholders and NGOs. Yet, the prison administration failed to use such opportunities. Moreover, this study revealed that, there was significant perception difference between male and female inmates towards practices, opportunities and challenges of the rehabilitation program. But no difference was observed among inmates in terms of their age group, educational status and participation years with exception of resource related challenges that showed significance difference between inmates who completed high school and those who had diploma. Regarding perception of inmates towards the success of the rehabilitation program no difference was observed among inmates based on their sex, age group and educational status. The major conclusion of the study is that there is both high involvement and positive perception of inmates towards the rehabilitation program even if the program faced with many challenges. So, based on this conclusion recommendations were made.