ADJUSTMENT CHALLENGES AND COUNSELLING NEEDS OF PRISON INMATES IN SULEJA AND LAPAI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATION FOR COUNSELLING

Mohammed Ibrahim Baji

Abstract

This study investigated adjustment challenges and counselling needs of prison inmates in Suleja and Lapai prisons in Niger State, Nigeria. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 levels of significance. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. A sample of one hundred and sixty-one (161) prison inmates from the two selected prisons was considered using the simple random and the proportionate sampling techniques. The instrument for data collection was Adjustment Challenges and Counselling Needs Questionnaire (ACCNQ). The ACCNQ was validated through content validity and a test retest method for determining its reliability was employed which had an index of 0.82. The data collected were analyzed using the chi-square statistics. The study found that there was no significant difference in adjustment challenges of the prison inmates in respect of gender but there was a significant difference in counselling needs of male and female prison inmates in both Suleja and Lapai prisons. Based on the findings, the study recommends that government at all levels, NGOs, and individuals should rejuvenate the Suleja and Lapai prisons by supplying them with the necessary tools, equipment and raw materials as well as providing improved infrastructural facilities and effective vocational training programmes to address their adjustment challenges. It is also recommended that prison authorities should establish a counselling unit where prison inmates could enjoy appropriate counselling programmes/activities and a degree of privacy during the counselling sessions to cater for their needs.