A Situational Analysis of Youth Correction and Training Centers in Kenya; a Case Study of the Kamiti Youth Correction and Training Center

Abstract

Rehabilitation can be described as the process to restore to useful life by therapy and education or to restore to good condition. The rehabilitative ideal views criminal behaviors as diseases that can be cured if well planned interventions that target the risk factors are delivered in a systematic manner. The study had the general objective of establishing effectiveness of the rehabilitation programs at Kamiti Youth Correction and Rehabilitation Centre. The study used both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected from the entire population of 46 youthful inmates still serving at the institution, 10 wardens engaged in the rehabilitation of the inmates and 5 probation officers, who work with the probation and aftercare services; the department mandated with committing the inmates to the institution. Qualitative data on the other hand was collected through desk review of relevant books, journals and reports. The collected data was presented using statistical techniques which include percentages and frequency distribution tables. The study established lack of adequate resources to enable effective training of the inmates, lack of adequate and modern training equipment and facilities for training the inmates, inadequate skilled personnel to undertake the training relying on outsourced experts. The institution lacks most of the vocational programs one would expect like carpentry, masonry, electrical wiring. It also lacks formal education. Therefore, there is no defined curriculum of the activities that are undertaken at the institution. The mandatory four-month sentence period was also observed to be inadequate for training and rehabilitation, but the few programs available were harsh and punitive. Therefore, the institution does not meet the goals and objectives of its establishment. The study recommended the need to introduce market oriented programs, employ appropriately trained experts, increase the length of the sentence to at least one year, furnish the institution with modern and adequate equipment for the training of the youthful inmates, review the Prison‟s Act CAP 90 and specify the rehabilitation programs to be administered at the institution, to introduce trade tests and certificates for the trainings undertaken and abolish harsh and punitive programs.