THE PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES AND THE IMAGE OF NIGERIAN CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, RIVERS STATE COMMAND

Abstract

This study investigates the public relations strategies and the image of Nigerian Correctional Services, Rives State Command. The Nigerian Correctional Services, Rivers State Command is a government institution whose main function is to provide a credible correctional service that secures, reforms, rehabilitates and reintegrates offenders into the society and to provide excellent custodial and non-custodial service that promotes public protection in accordance with global best practices needs a functional public relations practice in order to gain public trust and confidence. For this reason, the study sought to find out the public relations strategies that were adopted by the command. To achieve this, the study raised four objectives which are to find out the channels of communication used by the Nigerian Correctional Services, Rivers State Command, to find out the public relations strategies used by the command to build favourable public image; ascertain the methods of reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes of the Nigerian Correctional Services, Rivers State Command for the inmates, etc. The study adopted two theories, Attitude change theory and Status Conferral theory. The study used survey as the research design while questionnaire was used as data gathering instrument. The population of the study comprised of two streams of universe, all the staff of the four Nigerian Correctional Services in Rivers State namely; Ahoada, Elele, Port Harcourt and Degema and their in-mates. The total population of the study is 5,920. Taro Yamane Sample Size determination formula was used to arrive at a sample size of 375. Purposive sampling technique was used to administer the questionnaire. Weighted mean score (four points likert scale) was used to analyze the data   Findings of the study revealed that the command used channels of communication such as radio, newspapers and television. The findings of the study also showed that the command applied public relations strategies such as know your audience, disseminate the message yourself, news/press releases, special events and interviews. The findings of the study also showed that the methods of reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates included formal education, moral and vocational education, moral and vocational education, counseling and religious activities. The study concluded that the command used channels of communication such as radio newspapers and television and that the command applied public relations strategies such as know your audience, disseminate the message yourself, news/press releases, etc. The study recommended that it will be ideal for the Nigerian Correctional Services and other correctional centres to adopt and apply effective approaches of relating with visitors and their inmates.