Communication Technologies for Social Integration of Inmates in Nigeria

Abstract

In recent years, political instability has resulted in the rising wave of unemployment, poverty rate, and insecurity, all which have attendant effect on the crime rate across Nigeria. Presently, the prison population is 68,259: a number which has soared from 44,450 in year 2000. Several reports on the activities of the Nigerian prisons services widely indicate that there is a disturbing crime rate. Going by these statistics, the focus of this chapter is on the use of communication technologies skills for rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates into society. Since communication technologies provide a unified learning process for knowledge sharing, prisoners need to have access to these new forms of information exchange. This clearly implies that inmates need info-communication skills to prevent recidivism. Using the backdrop of the Nigeria's prison terrain, the chapter recommends an overhaul of the prisons with a reliable information and communication framework.