The Role Of Prison Service In Reducing Re-Offence: Challenges Of (Re)-Integration In Illu Abba Bor And Bunno Bedelle Zones Prisons, Ethiopia

This study is aimed at examining factors of (re)-offending, the role of prison administration and its challenges in reducing (re)-offending by (re)-integration mechanism. The approach employed was qualitative and its design was descriptive case study. The data were collected through semi-structured interview, focus group discussion and observation. The data collected was categorized, organized in theme and analysed by thematic analysis techniques. And then, the study find out that there are three interrelated phases as far as (re)-integration is concerned: programs that take place during time in prison, which aim to prepare offenders for their eventual release; programs that take place during offenders’ release period, which seek to connect ex-offenders with the various services they may require; and long-term programs that take place as ex-offenders permanently (re)-integrate into their communities, which attempt to provide offenders with support and supervision. To perform it, there were responsible departments in prison administration that play a role in each phases by arranging Substance Abuse Treatment Programmes, Facilitating Behavioural Change of Offenders, providing Education, Life Skills and Vocational Training and setting up Follow Up Mechanisms and Linkage. However, limited economic and human resource/Capital, weak linkage of the correctional centres with the community and other stakeholder, public perception of discharged prisoners in the community and principle-practice disparity on the role of correctional centres prevented correctional centres from properly executing its responsibilities. The study concludes that rehabilitation of the offender and the support of the victim, by way of a multidisciplinary approach and the presentation of a variety of programmes, should always be the main aim of imprisonment in order to re-integrate the offender with society and the family so that they can once again function as a proper unit. To this end, the study suggested that mechanisms should be devised to participate and mobilize all sectors towards the same aim of reducing reoffending.