Have you ever wondered what happens to a formerly incarcerated person looking to start over in society? Perhaps you believe “old habits die hard” for this group of people. Recidivism, or the repeated relapse into criminal behaviour is the technical term to support this saying. While interventions are being led to reduce recidivism, it remains an unsolved issue in the Nigerian criminal justice system. Recidivism encompasses re-arrest, resistance to rehabilitation, re-conviction, re-offending, re-admission, reincarceration, and repetitious criminal tendency, among others.
According to a 2016 report from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, justice-involved people are reconvicted up to seven times or more. Although there are no current verifiable statistics on recidivism in Nigeria, it is likely there is a significant increase in the yearly rate.
Successful reintegration is fundamental to reducing recidivism. However, prison congestion, harsh conditions, substance abuse, illiteracy, social stigma, and other factors make reintegration more difficult. The challenges are distressing and require a multi-layered response, with rehabilitation, support from society, and systemic reform of paramount importance.
Here are five ways recidivism can be reduced in Nigeria:
- Enforcing Nigerian Laws on Reintegration
Enforcing rehabilitation and reintegration laws is necessary to reduce recidivism in Nigeria. The Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 mandates correctional facilities to provide vocational skills, education, and mental health support to inmates, to equip them for life after release. However, lack of enforcement due to underfunding and limited trained staff hampers these efforts.
Solution: Enforcing the Nigerian Correctional Service Act (NCSA) of 2019 can be a pivotal solution to reduce recidivism by strengthening rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. Its enforcement would lead to the prioritisation of funding for correctional programs, training of more rehabilitation personnel, and engaging communities in support of justice-involved individuals.
- Improving Prison Conditions to Improve Rehabilitation
The Nigerian prisons were designed to hold about 50,000 inmates but currently house about 84,000 inmates. Overcrowding in Nigerian prisons results in a shortage of facilities, violence, and shrinkage in the chance of rehabilitation; all of which contribute to recidivism in Nigeria.
Solution: Building new correctional facilities and modernizing the existing ones will solve the problem of overcrowding. This improvement should be optimized for the proper rehabilitation of justice-involved individuals.
- Improving Education and Vocational Training
These programs are proven to reduce recidivism by equipping inmates with skills that facilitate successful reintegration into society. A 2016 study by Niyi Adegoke revealed that 93 out of 121 participants of a research focus group affirmed that educational programs can lower their risks of recidivism.
Solution: Increased access to education within the country and collaboration with other organisations that provide reintegration assistance are steps toward empowering corrections-involved individuals with employable, vocational, and entrepreneurial skills useful for reentry.
- Improvement of Aftercare and Community Reintegration Programs
The period after release from prison causes uncertainty and worry for formerly incarcerated persons as they are left with no structure to provide the requisite support for reentry adequately. Societal scepticism of the repentance of justice-involved persons further compounds the stigma faced post-release.
Solution: Structuring appropriate after-care programs, which would include counselling, job placement, and follow-ups, is a good way to help reentry. A co-management approach with NGOs and community organizations, supplementing these services and support, especially in communities with rampant crime, helps strengthen the support structure for formerly incarcerated communities and minimises the chances of re-offending.
- Resorting to Non-Custodial Sentencing Option
With non-custodial sentences, the emphasis is on rehabilitation, not punishment. Options such as probation, parole, and community service allow the individual to stay connected with their families and the general community. This reduces the risk of being negatively impacted by the justice system. Non-custodial sentencing responds to concerns about prison overcrowding and allows resources to be diverted to rehabilitation.
Solution: The government of Nigeria can reduce the burden of its correctional facilities by expanding non-custodial sentencing. It should also encourage penalties that are more equitable and distinctive to the defendant. This way, the disparity in the incidence of imprisonment among the most vulnerable groups is reduced, as well as providing a way in which justice can be better accessed and recidivism is reduced.
Conclusion
To reduce recidivism in Nigeria, the Nigerian government should focus on the root causes of reoffending and incorporate support for formerly incarcerated people. This may include increasing access to educational opportunities and organizing aftercare programs to actively work toward reducing stigma. With such strategies, the government will ensure that the criminal justice system maintains rehabilitation against punitive measures which will ultimately lead to reducing recidivism and achieving a society that gives second chances and safer communities to all.
