2026/07/30 by Ijeoma B. Uche, Okala A. Uche, Agatha U. Nzewuji
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Crime Patterns and Interventions #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
paper · doi:10.1177/00328855261473197
crossref issued 2026/07/30 · crossref published 2026/07/30 · crossref published-online 2026/07/30 · openalex publication_date 2026/07/30 · crossref created 2026/07/30 · openalex created_date 2026/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01 · crossref deposited 2026/08/02 · crossref indexed 2026/08/02
Structural deficits, limited resources, and professional capacity constrain offenders’ rehabilitation in Nigerian correctional facilities. Despite policy commitments to reintegration, programs often operate symbolically, resembling “carrying water in a basket.” This qualitative study examined systemic barriers, lived experiences, and pathways to effective rehabilitation in a maximum-security facility in Southeast Nigeria. Guided by general systems theory, semi-structured interviews with eight inmates and four correctional staff were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: structural barriers, experiences of futility and aspiration, professional gaps, and pathways to sustainability. Persistent overcrowding, gendered exclusions, inconsistent programming, and absence of social workers limited outcomes.