Vocational Training Programmes and Community Reintegration as Predictors of Recidivism Reduction Among Ex-Convicts in Abia State Correctional Centres, Nigeria 0 0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/jete.vol9no1.79Keywords:
vocational training, community reintegration, recidivism, exconvicts, Nigerian correctional centres, rehabilitation programmesAbstract
This study investigates the extent to which vocational training programmes and community reintegration initiatives predict recidivism reduction among ex-convicts in the Abia State Correctional Centres, Nigeria. Drawing on primary data from a census survey of 1,094 respondents comprising convicted inmates and correctional officers across three custodial centres in Aba, Umuahia, and Arochukwu, the study employed simple linear regression analysis tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Two null hypotheses guided the inquiry: that vocational training programmes have no significant relationship with recidivism rate; and that community reintegration programmes have no significant relationship with recidivism rate among ex-convicts. Findings revealed that both vocational training (R = .485, F(1,1093) = 35.793, p < .000) and community reintegration programmes (R = .174, F(1,1093) = 34.127, p < .000) significantly predict recidivism rates. Anchored theoretically in Rehabilitation Theory, Social Bond Theory, and Strain Theory, the study concludes that skills acquisition and post-release social support networks are critical mechanisms for reducing reoffending. The paper recommends sustained investment in market-aligned vocational curricula and structured community mentorship frameworks within Nigerian correctional institutions.
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