Perception on Programs at Rehabilitation Centres by Parents of Clients and Staff in Lagos State, Nigeria

Rehabilitation processes of juvenile offenders pose serious challenge in Nigeria today.Studies are more concentrated on the available techniques adopted in various rehabilitation centres without evaluating the nature and types of programs that are in force.This study underscored the perception of both parents and staff of the correctional centres on rehabilitation programs available for clients/ wards in Lagos State, Nigeria.The study is anchored on differential association theory propounded by Sutherland in 1950.Survey research design was adopted.The sample size for the study was 178 respondents drawn from: the juvenile offenders (71), staff of correctional service centres (29), the staff of family social welfare service units (56), court and police officers ( 12) and parents of wards/ juvenile offenders (10).Finding of the study indicates that one-on-one counselling (64%), vocational training (50%), interpersonal skills and bevavioural program (90%) are the best intervention programs used in the rehabilitation process.Based on this, the study therefore recommends that the programs used in the rehabilitation centres should be reviewed periodically by government in order to accommodate changes for more positive results.