PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF EX-CONVICT IN ABAKALIKI LOCAL GOVERNMENT, EBONYI STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study

Security is an imperative concern for humanity. Maslow's theory of needs points to the fact that security is a paramount need for each person and society at large. This is because, for persons within societies to engage in lucrative economic ventures to earn a living, and freely engage in other institution has to prevail, to promote an ideal and congenial atmosphere for tranquility and order.

United Nation Office of Drugs and Crime (2012) indicates that crime and its offenders are major threat to security globally, and as part of humanity's conscious efforts to ideally maintain a crime free society, an institution such as the correctional institution or the prison are mandated to discharge its core duties as stipulated in Article (10) of International Covenant on Civil and Political Right (1976), which states that: The purpose and justification of a sentence of imprisonment or a similar measure derivative of liberty is ultimately to protect society against crime.

This end can only be achieved if the period of imprisonment is used to ensure, so far as possible, that upon his return to society the offender is not only willing but able to lead a abiding and self -supporting life. The manner in which marginalized members of a society is perceived or treated in social interaction seems to shape their well-being and subsequent actions. Such persons like ex-prisoners (ex-convicts), often appear not to enjoy social justice, fair treatment and equal opportunity. They are rather faced with discrimination, social exclusion and lack of support, which makes reintegration into mainstream of events in the society and return to a successful civil life very difficult (Schneider & Weber, 2020). Ex-convicts re-integration is a complex process that has over time focused on the intervention of prison or correctional service officials, social workers and counselors. In recent years, more emphasis has been placed on designing comprehensive interventions that are based on continuity of care or consistent assistance to offenders within and beyond prison(Ajala & Oguntuase, 2011). This is to aid transition from confines of the prison to the community space and reinforce the gains achieved through correctional treatment until successful reintegration is completed (Fox, 2002). An effective re-integration process is expected to prepare not only the ex-convicts but also the family and society at large to accept and support the transition process (Raboloko & Maripe, 2019). The negligence or non-incorporation of other members of society into the reintegration process appears to be making life uneasy for ex-convicts.

Available research indicates that public attitudes toward ex-convicts are informed by bevaviour about actual or perceived threats and social cohesion and moral order (Sprott & Doob, 2009; Jackson & Bradford, 2008; Andrews, 2015). Community knowledge of and confidence in the ability of the criminal justice system (CJS) to effectively respond to crime might impact public support for reintegration (Andrews, 2015). The perceived failure of this seems to be forcing Nigerians to react negatively upon hearing of release of ex-offenders into the society. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, 2018) reported that mixed reactions greeted Federal Government of Nigeria’s release of some alleged repentant Boko Haram members who had undergone rehabilitation into the society. Iroanusi (2021) observed that the release triggered outrage and debate from citizens across the country. The public perceives the release as a threat to civilian population as the former fighters could possibly return to the terror group to commit more atrocities.

According to Gehring (2000) people agree that crime is a terrible problem, and that one of the functions of prisoners should be to minimize crime, and that release prisoners should be able to live decently in community after release.

There is ample evidence on public perception of offenders or ex-convicts across cultures. Igbo (2007) observed that offenders in pre-colonial African societies were perceived as enemies of the gods and the land. This was due to the belief that their offence could attract the wrath of the gods on the whole society. Therefore, violators of laws of the land were perceived and treated as outcasts, evildoers and wicked, thereby making reintegration into the society difficult (Igbo, 2007; Osayi, 2013). Moreso, many communities in Africa seems to have not discarded all the negative labels they hold against ex-convicts and therefore, still perceive them as criminals (Raboloko & Maripe, 2019). They noted that men and women alike share similar perception about ex-offenders. Ekpe and Mammah, as cited in Osayi (2013) argued that many families of the Igbo speaking societies stigmatizes, disown and deny their members who had been to prison some family rights or inheritance.

Again, members of the public seem to find it difficult to freely associate with ex-convicts or give them a chance to operate as law abiding citizens. The rejection or neglect from those who are supposed to enhance their smooth re-entry into normal life seems not to help the situation. This might complicate the plights of ex-convicts, especially when they return back to the society. In different parts of the world, it does appear that ex-convicts face multifaceted challenges and experience hardship that tends to impede a crime free lifestyle. In Botswana, it has emerged that exconvicts remain largely unemployed, stigmatized and discriminated against (Raboloko & Maripe, 2019). In Nigeria, evidence has shown that government has little or no provision for the employment and proper reintegration of discharged prisoners into the social system (Ugwuoke, 2010). This has been linked to the perception of personal factors of the ex-convicts such as low self-esteem, low motivation, skills deficit, lack of training, mental illness and substance abuse, lack of stable accommodation, and most especially, absence of family support (Graham, Shinkfield, Lavelle & McPherson, 2004; Ugwumba & Usang, 2014).

However, there have been intervention efforts toward the re-integration of ex-convicts in Nigeria. The government had at different times granted presidential pardon to some notable but erring members of the public and even gave some of them vital positions, especially the political elites. Others have been granted amnesty and rehabilitation training oversees just to prepare and empower them to live a crime free life. In spite of these noble efforts to present the affected individuals with a clean sheet of record, little or nothing seems to have been done to assess how members of the society perceive or treat exconvicts in the reintegration process.

Research has confirmed that a higher crime rate in any society is closely associated with high rate of unemployment (McCall). Most criminological research suggestions that employment reduced an individual's risk for re-offending (Laub & Sampson, 2003), which implies that employment may provide ex-convicts with the motivation needed to create a better life by desisting from crime Covenant on Civil and Political Right (1976), which states that:

Lack of employable and sustainable skills render a lot of people predisposed to the act of crime (Gainsborough & Mauer, 2004). As part of the prisons function to mitigate crime, most prisoners incarcerated undergo rehabilitation programs with the prime aim to equip them with the necessary skills that would empower them sociology-economically to live a good and amicable life upon discharge from prisons (Abotchie, 2008). By an extension of this, many prisoners have the opportunity to sharpen previous job skills while in prison and when released are able to present work history and possible improved skills to a potential employer (Collins, 2009). In this case, the prison is not only seen as a segregated place that holds in custody criminal but a rehabilitative ground that enhances their employ-ability prospects.

In the light of this, educational programs, vocational programs, counseling programs among others, constitute the noble rehabilitation programs that are running by the prisons to assist prisoners to quit a life of crime (Hagan, 2013). All these efforts by the prison service are specifically geared toward reducing recidivism. Unfortunately, even with the presence of state prisons advancing the cause of rehabilitation, recidivism studies show that 40 to 70 percent of released prisoners commit new crimes once they are released (Smoker, 1971). This apparently shows that the problem of maintaining a crime free society and successful reintegration of ex-convicts leaves many questions to be investigated.

Within the restricted confinement of every prison wall, Jones Ekunwe (2011) postulate that, inmates are quite happy to be leaving prison to be reintegrated into their communities. For this reason, most inmates while preparing to re-enter into society upon completion of their sentences share the hope to start their life of criminal intentions (Jones & Ekunwe, 2011). This is because, deprivation of freedom and the harsh condition of the prison that prisoners experience for as long as their sentence last actually instill the spirit of repentance and change of behavior in them and thus make a prisoners willing to shun any life of crime upon discharge from prison (Osayi, 2013).

Ironically, Kenemore & Roldan (2006) argue that, prisoners and ex-convicts are a vulnerable population and face many challenges and limitations after their release from prison, some lasting permanently. This is because, as Osayi (2013) remarked, despite the prisons reforming and rehabilitating offenders, the public have negative perception and attitude towards discharged prisoners. For this reason, ex-convicts are faced with multiple obstacles when it comes to the process of reintegration into society. Some of these challenges that hinder successful reintegration are predominantly characterized by the unwillingness of employers to hire services of ex-prisoners (Travis, Amy, Solomon & Waul, 2001), banned from international traveling Addo, 2014), public stigma (Taxman, 2004), loss of social status (Chiricos, Jackson & Waldo, 1972), lack of social support (Lurigio, 1996), and are denied franchise right to vote in some cases (Manza et al 2003). The gravity of each of these challenges that confronts ex-convicts makes reintegration an impossible dream.

Furthermore, Pager and Manza (2004) argue that, people convicted of public-order offenses, drug crime and petty theft are thrown in with the most serious criminals in the growing pool of ex-prisoners. Pager and Manza (2004) further extend the argument that, in some cases the least serious offenders are the worst off since irrespective of the offense charges, such persons would not be able to elude the public stigma and its associated challenges of having a record of being put behind bars.

Moreover, Addo (2014) argues that many ex-convicts return into society to find their homes broken, with their spouses married to others. Addo (2014) further argues that ex-convicts who are received at home become economic burden on their families as extra mouth to feed. Braman (2007) also reveals that society's hostile attitude toward ex-offenders may stigmatize not only individual ex-offenders but also their families and their neighborhoods as well.

Taken into account the complexities surrounding the obstacles faced by ex-convicts, the challenge of re-establishing an ex-convict outside the prison life is often made different by a number of societal, systematic, legal, economic and emotional factors (Dougherty, 2011). Each of these factors that impede the process of reintegration was instituted by person’s fruitless reintegration between the ex-convict and the society.

Like all people, ex-convicts need safe and affordable housing; opportunity for education, training, and employment; food and health care; and a supportive community that encourages personal growth, goal attainment, positive relationship and civic engagement. The biggest challenge is that, discharged prisoners trying to re-establish their lives after imprisonment often start building from bare ground with very limited resources. Also, bearing a criminal record subtly carries with it unforeseen societal consequences long after a prisoner has completed his or her sentence. Many people are not aware of these consequences, but such repercussions often impede successful reintegration and may hinder goal achievement for the rest of an ex-convict's life (UNODC, 2012; Daugherty, 2011).

Again, a critical look at the reintegration programs which are in themselves social intervention specifically places principal emphasis on orientating the prisoner and the ex-convict while on the other hand little or no orientation is given to the public. UNODC (2012) reveals that the intervention to support the social integration of prisoners do not necessarily require their incarceration however; many of these interventions can be delivered more effectively in the community as opposed to in an institution.

1.2. Statement of Research Problem

Unsurprisingly, the issue of public attitude toward ex-convicts and its adverse repercussion is not a peculiar phenomenon in any given nation but a universal problem in these contemporary times. For example, in the United States, where according to the Legal Action Center (2004), state and federal prisons release more than 630,000 ex-offenders into society every year, in addition to the thousands released from local institutions, nonetheless, the public attitude toward ex-convicts have been apathetic and negative in a research conducted by Todd, Clear, Rose and Ryder in 2001.

In the case of the Caribbean world, a seminar report from United Nation Asia and Far East institute (2011) revealed that reintegration of ex-convicts into the Caribbean society is an impossible feat as result of people's attitude and perception toward ex-convicts. Again, the situation is significantly the same in the case of Japan as revealed in UNAFEI (2011) report. In addition, in 2008, according to the then Director General of Ghana prison, as reported by Kunateh (2008) indicates that the passiveness of society to the welfare of prisoners and its resentment towards ex-convicts are the key challenges confronting the Prison Service. By this statement from such an authority, it obviously depicts the security of public attitudes towards prisoners and ex-convicts.

Furthermore, government and other benevolent stakeholders invest colossal amount of money to support rehabilitation programs for inmates. However, the prevailing legal, social and economic obstacles faced by ex-convicts (Daugherty, 2011) make these investments wasteful. Ex-convicts constitute a fraction of potential human resource which the nation can utilize their youthfulness for development since most of them are equipped with skills for a sustainable livelihood.

1.3 Research Questions

Accordingly, the research answers the following questions:

What is public perception of ex-convicts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state?
What are the effect of public perception of ex-convicts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state?
What are the factors that influence public attitude towards ex-convicts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state?
How does personal experience influence public attitude towards ex-convicts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state?

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the research are to:

1. know the public perception of ex-convicts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.

2. identify the effects of public perception of ex-convicts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.

3. Examining factors that influence public attitude towards ex-convicts Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.

4.find out how personal experience influence public attitude towards ex-convicts in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state.

1.5 Significance of the study

The study shall be of...

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