THE RE-INTEGRATION OF EX-PRISONERS UNDER THE ETHIOPIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: THE CASE OF ARBA MINCH TOWN

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine and understand the reintegration of ex-prisoners under the Ethiopian criminal justice system in the case of ex-prisoners of Arba Minch prison Institution residing in Arba Minch Town. The researcher has used qualitative research method to study and understand the nature of the problem through the triangulation of case study and exploratory design. Besides, in-depth interviews and key informant interview were main tools used to collect data from informants of the study who interviewed separately. Qualitative method of data analysis was employed for the data collected through, in-depth interview and key informant interview. The study had revealed that, there are no comprehensive law under the Ethiopian criminal justice legal framework that particularly address the issues of reintegration of ex-prisoners after their released from prison institutions. Even though, reintegration as concept was mentioned in the criminal justice policy and in some legislations in Ethiopia; no clear laws and institutions that follow up the application and implementation of ex-prisoner’s reintegration after release from prison were adopted. Moreover, in the study area during their return from incarceration, ex-prisoners had faced varieties of obstacles that originated from lack of effective pre-release plan in prison institutions as well as post-prison interventions in various state and private sectors that were expected to deal with ex-prisoner issues. Ex-prisoners when discharged from prison institutions had socialization and adaptation problems that prevent them accession to different opportunities available in the community. Furthermore, the problem of joblessness, broken family ties, and stigmatization have obstacle to their reintegration in to the community and set them on multifaceted problematic life and the study recommend that, the legislator should enact laws that specifically govern the administration of ex-prisoner’s reintegration and establish the institutions that are responsible to follow up and protection of ex-prisoners in Ethiopia.