PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE PREVALENCE AND EFFECTS OF STIGMATIZATION ON DISCHARGED OFFENDERS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

Punishments for crimes have always played out in human history. However, despite punishment for crime, most individuals who commit crime and have served their punishment or gone for correction are still stigmatized by the public and this stigmatization seem to have a lot of influence on the life of discharged offenders. Thus, this paper examined public perception of the prevalence and effect of stigmatization on discharged inmates on recidivism in Anambra state. Mixed methods research design was used for this study and the sample size of the studyis 400. The questionnaire and In-Depth interview schedules were the instruments used for data collection. Descriptive statistics was used for analyzing the quantitative data while content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The study hypotheses were tested using chisquare(x²) inferential statistics. The study found very high prevalence of negative public perception towards discharged offenders. The study also found that discharged inmates are faced with social challenges as a result of stigmatization and these challenges include discrimination, stigmatization and isolation/rejection. The study further found that stigmatization of discharged offenders’ leads to loss of community support for discharged offenders. The study, based on its findings recommended that public sensitization programs should be widely conducted to educate society on the importance of accepting and supportingdischarged offenders as productive members of the community. The study also recommended that community programs should be established to engage discharged offenders in meaningfu lactivities that benefit society as this will help in reducing the stigmatization of discharged offenders.