Risk Factors of the Likelihood to Reoffend Among Inmates in Kenyan Prisons: the Case of Shimo La Tewa Prisons

Abstract

When a convict has completed his/her sentence, it is everyone’s hope including the government that they will go back to being productive members of the community. Unfortunately, this is not true all the time. Some recently released inmates re-enter crime and ultimately find themselves back in incarceration. In Kenya, reoffending rate has been shown by existing data from Kenya Prison Services to be on a rising trend despite rehabilitation of the prison services. This research work aimed at finding out the risk factors associated with the likelihood of reoffending. The study focused on 174 inmates at Shimo la Tewa prison in Mombasa County. The specific aim of the study was to explore the extent to which personal, interpersonal and community factors influence the likelihood to reoffend. The research employed the PIC-R model that seeks to explain the etiology of deviance. A quantitative survey design was used for the study and the sample was stratified and selected purposively. Data from inmates were collected using self-report questionnaires. The collected data from questionnaires was coded and tabulated. Both descriptive and inferential data analysis was done with the use of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences software. Study results showed that personal, interpersonal and community risk factors have a positive relationship with the likelihood to reoffend. Unemployment was found out to be the highest risk factor in reoffending among the inmates. The study recommends the alignment of programs in accordance with the risk factors in order to prevent reoffending.