The Relationship Between Type of Offense and Reintegration of Acquitted Remandees in Kakamega County, Kenya

Abstract

On any given day in the Republic of Kenya, there are more remandees in Prisons than there are convicted offenders. Little is known about the experiences of these remandees and the challenges they pose for effective reintegration upon release. Remanded persons do not benefit from rehabilitation and empowerment and are released with no support, yet leave remand expected to reintegrate successfully back into the community. This study investigated the relationship between the type of offense and reintegration of acquitted remandees in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study was underpinned in the Labelling theory and Social Learning theory and adopted a descriptive survey design employing a mixed method of data collection.  The study used a stratified random sampling technique to obtain acquitted remandees and purposive sampling to get Correctional Officers, Assistant Chiefs and community members who took part in the study as key informants. A sample of 400 acquitted remandees was selected from a population of 1,427 using Yamane's sample apportionment formula. In addition, 9 Correctional Officers working within Kakamega County, 8 community members and 8 assistant chiefs from Sub-Locations with the highest number of returning remandees in Kakamega County were included in the study as key informants. Study data were collected using a questionnaire for acquitted remandees, interviews schedule for Prison Officers and Probation Officers, and Focus Group Discussion guide for community members and Assistant Chiefs. Validity of the data collection instrument was ascertained through expert review and reliability of the study questionnaire was ascertained using the internal consistency method where Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient of Reliability of 0.874 was achieved. Quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28 for windows. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the study. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically where identified themes informed discussion lines. All statistical measurements with regards to quantitative data were performed within 95% confidence interval. Findings revealed that offense type and reintegration of acquitted remandees were significantly related (r=0.625; P<0.01) with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.295. Given the findings of the study, a conclusion was made that offence type had a significant influence on reintegration of acquitted remandees in Kakamega County, Kenya. Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, a recommendation was made that local administration in the community carries out sensitization to assist community members to understand the difference between a remandee and an offender and the consequences of labelling acquitted remandees explained to community members to avert the likely outcome of forcing acquitted remandees into actualizing the criminal label.

Keywords: Offence Type, Reintegration, Acquitted Remandees

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/13-5-03

Publication date:July 31^st 2023