A Study on the Role of Entrepreneurship Training Programmes in Reducing Recidivism in Kamiti and Langata Maximum Prisons, Nairobi City County

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has attracted interest world wide as a catalyst of economic development including innovation, employment, growth as well as equity. Given the likely benefits of entrepreneurship, attention is directed towards interventions that promote individual decisions to become entrepreneurs and not only to venture in business but also to become successful. The Prisons department trains prisoners to empower them to become law abiding citizens upon release through entrepreneurship programmes so as to reduce the rate of recidivism. Programmes that increase inmates earning potential after being released from prisons are most probable to bring positive results in minimizing recidivism. The general objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the entrepreneurial programmes delivered within Kenyan prisons in reducing recidivism. The specific objectives of the study were to determine if the entrepreneurial training programmes taught in Kenyan prisons can reduce recidivism among prisoners and to find out factors that affect effectiveness of entrepreneurship training programmes in Kenyan prisons. The study was guided by Human Capital Theory and Financial Capital Theory. The study adopted a descriptive survey design which employed both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis approaches. The population of study was drawn from Kamiti and Lang‟ata maximum prisons in Nairobi City County. The target population comprised of prisoners who were recidivists. Data was gathered and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Results from quantitative analysis were presented in form of tables such as frequencies and percentage tables. Qualitative data was presented in prose form. From this study, it is clear that majority of those who are recidivists did not take part in entrepreneurship training programmes making the researcher believe that entrepreneurship programmes are effective in reducing recidivism.