An Evaluation on the Significance of Risk Assessment on Rehabilitation Strategies of Violent Offenders at Kamiti Main Prison, Kenya

Abstract

The criminal justice system as well as other agencies that work closely with offenders for example parole boards, medical facilities at one time or another will require forensic psychologists to provide a probability statement that a given offender is likely to behave in an inappropriate manner. The probability statement may be centered on either clinical judgment or predictor variables. To provide the probability statement mainly serves as a risk indicator, thus “risk assessment”. The process whereby various threats and how likely it is that they can occur as well as preventative measures is known as Risk Assessment. (Bartol, 2014) One of the core functions of the Kenya prisons service is rehabilitation of the offender. Rehabilitation is a process that is undertaken by the offender in order to bring about change from previous criminal acts or behaviors to behavior that is morally and socially accepted. Some of the rehabilitation programs found in the Kenya prisons service include; counseling, spiritual nourishment, games and sports, farming, academics, industries amongst others. The main objective of this study is to find out if risk assessment is carried out in the Kenyan prisons and what is its significance in relation to the rehabilitation programs. The research will use both descriptive and cross-sectional research design. Kamiti Main Prison is the site that was identified for the research because of its unique nature. The target population of violent offenders was available and a sample selected using purposive sampling, the sample was then categorized into clusters and sub strata as per the different violent offences. Data analysis will be carried out using inferential statistics such as regression and also descriptive statistics that include measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion. Presentation of the data well be done by use of tables, graphs and narration. After analysis on the significance of risk assessment on rehabilitation strategies, it was established that violent offenders with a strong social support system and those who had developed social control were more receptive to making changes in their lives that they had the ability to change. Further research should seek to establish if these findings would vary in female correctional institutions and juvenile correctional institutions.