RECIDIVISM: A CORRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION AND CHALLENGES OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS IN FAMILIES IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated recidivism and its correlationships with social discrimination and challenges of socioeconomic status in families in Rivers State, Nigeria. Two objectives and two hypotheses were generated for the study. The study adopted the survey design in its investigation. The study was based in Rivers State, and its population covered members of all families who have or show evidence of a recidivist or recidivists in Rivers State. A sample of 600 respondents was randomly selected for study. The simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were employed. The data collection was done through the use of the questionnaire and the instrument was face validated by professionals in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba. Also, the reliability value of 0.88 Correction Co-efficient was established for the study. Biographic data of the respondents were analysed using percentage and a frequency table while the hypotheses for the study were tested at .05 level of significance using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The analyses revealed that social discrimination against families and challenges of socioeconomic status significantly correlated with recidivism in Rivers State. Thus, the study recommended, among other things, that the community and religious leaders should organize town hall meetings and seminars respectively to encourage and sensitize members of society on the need to accept and show love to families of recidivists and recidivists, and also try work to support the positive reintegration of ex-offenders into communities. This support could be pursued morally, financially, as well as through the use of religious re-orientation. These steps could stop the tide of recidivism in Rivers State, Nigeria.