PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS OF AWAITING TRAIL PERSONS (ATPS) ON CONVICTED OFFENDERS IN ENUGU STATE CORRECTIONAL SERVICE

Abstract

Rehabilitation efforts of convicted offenders in Nigeria correctional service centers seem to have been undermined by the overwhelming population of the Awaiting Trail Inmates. The correctional institutions have been so overstretched that proper categorization, separation, housing and subsequent respective specialized treatments of the categories are somewhat deemphasized. This work is an assessment of the cumulative effects of overpopulation and inadequate handling of Awaiting Trail persons on the psychological and social wellbeing of convicted offenders in Enugu correctional center, Enugu State Nigeria. The study adopted the differential association theory as its theoretical framework. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 200 respondents comprising offenders, Awaiting Trail Persons (ATP_S ) and correctional personnel selected through multi-stage sampling procedure. The findings revealed that the overwhelming presence of ATP_S in Nigeria correctional centers affects the reformation and rehabilitation of offenders. ATPs are more prone to infectious diseases and therefore place the health status of convicted offenders in jeopardy and by extension their entire reformation and rehabilitation process. The study recommended among other, that there should be a periodic reform of the entire Nigeria criminal justice system with the aim of keeping abreast with global best practices in criminal justice administration. It is hoped that this reform will ensure speedy court judgment against the backdrop of incessant adjournment of cases. It will also help to decongest correctional institutions thereby reducing the negative influence of ATPs on the offenders with the hope of achieving maximum prisoners’ rehabilitation and welfare.