.
CHAPTER
ONE1.1.
Introduction
Crime is any act or behaviour which violates the norms
(normative behaving) of a society. This would mean that a criminal should be
seen as any person who breaks any of the rules or norm of behaviour by which
society is governed and has the possibility of affecting the wellbeing of other
members of the society.(Roth 2006) Therefore, the importance of crime
prevention and control, maintenance of law and order to the development and
growth of a society,both in the physical and economic sense, cannot be over emphasized.
Roth (2006) is of the opinion that ‘it is only amind that
is secured and at peace that can rationally address the issues of
procreation,economic development and societal growth. A disturbed mind is a
restless anddistraught personality. It is therefore imperative to have peace
and order in thesociety to assure its growth and development.The role of law
enforcement in the maintenance of peace and order as well as crime prevention
in the society is aforegone conclusion.
Every man by nature is selfish and self-centered, in most
case;he needs the presence of the state institution of law enforcement to be
able to actright. By its establishment philosophy, the Nigerian Prisons Service
is an institution meant to administer penal treatment to adult offenders. It
isan important and indispensable institution in the bid to reduce
crime in the society. On the basis of imprisonment policy, the Nigerian Prisons
Service was established to manage criminals in prison yards. These
constitutional functions empower the prison operatives to:
Keep convicted offenders (prisoners) in safe custody Keep
awaiting trial inmates in custody, until law courts demand their production
Punish offenders as prescribed by the law courts Reform the convicted prisoners
Rehabilitate and re-integrate prisoners who have completed the sentences in the
prison. (Hannah, 2012)
Inferring from the above, the main aim of establishing the
prison institution in all parts of the world including Nigeria is to provide a
rehabilitation and correctional facility for those who have violated the rules
and regulations of their society. However, the extent to which this maxim is
true in practice has been a subject of controversy. Instances abound where the
prisons have become a training ground for criminals instead of rehabilitation
home in Nigeria (Obioha 2011).
Prison Administration is a complex dynamics of various
divisions or units that provide a range of services in the management of
prisons. Such services may include policy formulation and implementation,
finance and budgeting, personnel management and operations and such others.
(Aina, 2010). Prison Administration is further executed by other institutions
of government who are co-players in ensuring a holistic management of the
prison system. Such institutions include the police which are saddled with the
responsibility of arresting, investigating, interrogating and prosecuting an
offender
However, the worry about the manifestation that Nigerian
Prisons Service has not lived up to expectation in terms of impacting
positively on the lives and vocations of inmates has raised several questions
that have not yet been completely addressed on the system’s functions and
existence.
Invariably, all of these issues cannot be isolated from the
dynamics involved in prison administration in Nigeria which is characterized by
the system failure identified with the key players such as the police and the
judiciary, which are saddled with collaborative roles in achieving effective
prison administration.
With these key players generally being indicted of
corruption and the Nigeria police specifically being alleged of ineptitude
especially as regards investigations of cases, the judiciary also being accused
of perennial delay in criminal trials as well as the Nigeria Prisons Service
itself being undermined by shortcomings such as undue political interference,
inadequate facilities, irregular and inadequate training for staff and inmates,
in fact, the effectiveness of the Nigerian prison system might have been eroded
(Emeka, 2011).
The drive to re-position the Nigerian Prisons Service for
an improved service delivery in concert with other key players involved in
prison administration in Nigeria has therefore necessitated this study.It is
against this background that this study is considered pertinent in order to
inquire into prison administration and crime prevention in Nigeria with a
particular reference to Nigerian Prison Service, Agodi Gate Ibadan
1.2
Statement of the Problem
The prison system is an integral component of the whole
process of criminal justice system and crime prevention. The main aim of
establishing the prison institution in all parts of the world including Nigeria
is to provide a rehabilitation and correctional facility for those who have
violated the rules and regulations of their society. However, the extent to
which this maxim is true in practice has been a subject of controversy.
Instances abound where the prisons have become a training ground for criminals
instead of rehabilitation home in Nigeria (Obioha 2011)
Issues have been raised on security of lives and property
of the citizens, safe custody of inmates, prison congestion, unavailability of
detainees in court resulting in adjournment of cases, unhygienic and
dilapidated prison environment sometimes resulting in epidemics ill treatment
of inmates resulting in recidivism, low level of training on meaningful
undertakings resulting into failure in rehabilitation of prisoners and proper
integration into the society after prison terms (Ogunwumiju, 2013).
1.3
Objectives of the Study
Generally, this study examines prison administration and
crime prevention in Nigeria.
The specific objectives of the study are to
examine the objectives of establishing the Nigerian Prisons
Service identify the relationship between effective prison administration and
reduction in the occurrence of criminal activities in Nigeria
investigate the challenges confronting the administration of Nigerian Prisons
and its role in crime prevention in Nigeria; and Suggest recommendations
towards improving the effectiveness of prison administration in Nigeria.
1.4.
Significance of the Study
This study is highly significant in its intense concern
with respect to the current rate of crime within the Nigerian societies. The
study intends to reveal the nexus between effective prison administration and
crime prevention in Nigeria. Hence, the study will endeavour to probe into the
challenges facing the Nigerian prison service and possible solutions would be suggested.
Also, the study will advance the frontiers of knowledge in
the area of profound impact which the prison system exerts on the security of
lives and properties of the citizens and reformation of the prisoners as
orchestrated not only by the Nigerian Prisons Service but also other
collaborative institutions.
The study will be beneficial to security agencies
especially the officers of `Nigerian prison service, the general readers and
future researchers who may be interested in this kind of research study
1.5.
Scope of the Study
This study covers the prison administration and crime
prevention in Nigeria with its scope limited to Nigerian Prison Service, Agodi
Gate Ibadan. Therefore, the investigation of this study will restricted to the
members of staff of the Nigerian Prison Service,Agodi Gate Ibadan
1.6. Statement of Hypotheses
Hypothesis One
Ho: Effective prison administration is not one of the
viable instruments of crime control and prevention in Nigeria
Hi: Effective prison administration is one of the viable
instruments of crime control and prevention in Nigeria
Hypothesis Two
Ho: There is no meaningful relationship between effective
prison administration and reduction in the rate of criminal act in Nigerian
societies
Hi: There is meaningful relationship between effective
prison administration and reduction in the rate of criminal act in Nigerian
societies
Hypothesis Three
Ho: Inadequate facilities and poor training are not factors
seriously affecting effective prison administration and rehabilitation of
prisoners in Nigeria.
Hi: Inadequate facilities and poor training are factors
seriously affecting effective prison administration and rehabilitation of
prisoners in Nigeria.
1.7. Limitations to the Study
The Researcher is likely to encounter certain problems in
the course of conducting the research work, some of which may be
Financial Constraint
Every good and successful research work requires sufficient
funds as it will involve several activities and process. However, this research
work may face the problems of finance as a result of the little financial
resources available to the Researcher.
Time Constraint
The institution has specified the time for the conduct of
the research work, this specified period of time may not be enough for the
conduct of the research work and this may limit the scope of the research work.
Problem of Data Collection
This may also pose threat to the research work because most
people always feel reluctant to give out required information due to ethics of
secrecy in public organization. Public officers are not always willing to give
out information based on the principles guiding them
1.8. Definitions of
Operational Terms
Prison
Prison refers to any officially designated place usually
fortified for the purpose of confinement of persons considered guilty of
offence in order to punish, correct and rehabilitate such persons.
Administration
Administration implies the process of coming together of
two or more people to achieve a predetermined objective. It is a process of
getting things done through people.
Crime
Crime is any act or behaviour which violates the norms
(normative behaving) of a society
Crime Prevention
Crime prevention is a process or measure put in place by
the government in order to reduce the occurrence of criminal behaviour in the
society
Criminal
A criminal is a person who has been convicted to
have violated the rules, laws or norms of the society
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