| dc.description.abstract | The study sought to find out the upsurge of riots in prisons and the systems put in place to deal with the riots in Nairobi county prisons. The study was carried out at Kamiti main prison, Langata women prison and Nairobi remand and allocation prison.The objectives of the study was to establish factors that trigger inmates to riot, the inmates confidence level to riot, investigate the risks prison officers and government property is exposed to during riots and the systems prison authorities have put in place to deal with riots. The population in the three prisons is 5700 inmates against 1680 prison officers. The study employed descriptive survey design where 333 questionnaires were issued to inmates and 304 questionnaires issued to prison officers. Purposive sampling was used to determine the samples. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected, organized, categorized, coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data was collected through focused group discussions, interviews and questionnaires.
The study found out that most of the inmate respondents were male with some level of formal education. Some of the causes of riots they indicated include impromptu searches on their belongings,inhumane living conditions, delayed justice, poor management style by the prison authorities, strict punishment imposed on them by the prison authorities.The study also found out that the majority of prison officer respondents were male with a post secondary level of education.The study concluded that majority of the prison officers stated that better quality of food, presence of recreational activities, better prison conditions, removal of corporal punishment and better sanitation would reduce prison riots. Most of the respondents also indicated that the systems put in place to deal with riots were fairly effective.
The recommendation of the study are; there should be better communication between the prison officers and the inmates where by forums are held to discuss some of the inmates grievances, the prison authority should improve the living conditions of the prison and the prison officers should not subject the inmates to torture through beating and use of abusive language | en_US |
