A Survey Of Social Welfare Service In Nigeria Prisons
[A CASE STUDY OF OKO FEDERAL PRISON BENIN CITY, EDO STATE]

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 

The objectives of the study were as follows: 

1. To examine the level of availability of welfare service in Oko Prison 

2. To determine whether the inmates are able to obtain adequate corrective training in the process of their imprisonment due to the provision of the welfare services. 

3. To identify the problems facing the provision of welfare services in the Nigeria prison. 

4. To find out the type of adult education programmes being organized for the prisoners.

5. To see if the welfare service help in the reformations, rehabilitation and reintegration of the inmates back into the society.  

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

Based on the problems raised above and the purpose generated, the following research questions were raised. 

1. What are the problems facing provision of welfare services in the Nigerian prison? 

2. How do the welfare services help in the reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates back in the society? 

3. What are the types of adult education programme organized for prisoners? 

4. What are the levels of welfare services available in Oko Prison? 

5. Are the inmates able to obtain adequate corrective training in the process of their imprisonment due to the provision of the welfare services?  

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 

This study of the opinion to make correction and serve as a corrective measure. It is the prisoners or inmates to adjust to the normal norms and values of the society that is keeping to the laws and regulations of the land. It gives clear report of what the prisons look like and what is their operation rather than a mere false impression created as before. The researcher is out to enlighten the people on these, not to see member of the prison as a constraint to the society but to give necessary assistance. It is of the opinion to let people aware that the prisoners have undergone various training to enable them to be self reliant economically or being absorbed to any enterprise. The aims and objectives is to maintain laws and order in the society. as a result, it helps governments to reduce criminal act in the society. it reduces the labour market due to the rehabilitation programme they have undergone in the prison through the government effort.  

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

A service that is as wide as social welfare would equally cover a wide variety of programmes or services. It has been noted by authors in the literature that any social welfare should have a scope which covers: 

1. Support programmes for deprived children 

2. Support programmes for the physical children 

3. Support for the [physical disabled 

4. Services for the mentally disordered. 

5. Services for the medically handicapped prison that is those suffering from chronic illness like cancer heart disease kidney failure, HIV/AIDS etc. 

6. Social services for the backward or educationally disadvantaged people and 

7. Other community welfare services to ease family relations problems, delinquency, poverty housing and other social problems.  

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 

This study is restricted to investigate the provision of social welfare in the Oko Prison, Benin. This is inevitable to the researcher time, space and financial constraints inherent in the execution of this study. 

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The proper understanding of their piece of work will be highly appreciated if the terminology used in this study is explained in a clear and understanding languages. These are prison, social welfare, adjustment, inmates and crime. 

Prison: It is defined as a place of captivity, delaminated and declared as such as by the law of the state and created to ensure restraint and custody of individuals accused or convicted for violating the criminal laws of the state, civil person, debtors, prisoners of war and state detainees are also received (SIC) and kept in the prison.

Social Welfare: This can be defined as an activity organized or planned primarily and directly for preserving, protecting and improving human resources. It may also be defined as a service provided by the state whose objective is the improvement of the individual.

Accused: Any suspect person who is charged with a fault or crime, blame after proper investigation found guilty of such an offence committed is called accused. 

 Convicted Persons: Any person who is declared guilty by a legal process either by an act of omission or commission and there by pronounced by magistrate of judge in any legal court of law.  

Custody: This is a system of combining guardroom in the person industry and labour. Custody should be intended primarily for first offenders or star who are not of sophisticated type.

Adjustment: This is the act of correcting the prisoners by introducing them to various training, including vocational, educational and moral. In some prison, they organized educational activities through individuals efforts. Efforts could be that of the welfare unit in the prisons. Although there are no official provision for such activities or that of the prison inmates themselves in 1985/86 school year, such a programme as initiated at Benin Prison through the effort of a former civilian governor of Kano State Alhaji Barkin Zuwo who was serving his prison term (News Watch, 1985) such transitional programme will help the prisoner from being dangerous or liability to the community. 

Inmates: This is an occupant of a hospital prison, institution from violating the criminal laws of the state. 

Crime: This is an illegal acts, an offence which is punishable by law.