A Study on Community Service Order in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya

Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2008 in the subject Sociology - Individual, Groups, Society, , language: English, abstract: This study examines the implementation and effectiveness of community services order and rehabilitation of offenders within the context of Eldoret of Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The specific objectives were: to assess the effectiveness of community service programme in rehabilitating offenders; to highlight the communities attitudes and perceptions towards community service; to investigate the kind of crimes /offences committed by people who are sentenced by courts to do community service; to evaluate the general and salient challenges facing the correctional agenda of community service programme; to identify the constraints faced by offenders in the work placement agencies.

The data for this study was collected from primary and secondary sources. The study comprised of a random sample of 220 respondents composed of male serving offenders¿, women serving offenders, men who completed serving and women who completed serving. The focus group discussion participants included 8 community members, 8 victims and 4 local chiefs. A cross- sectional survey based on sample of eleven major estates was applied (Huruma, town Centre, Maili Nne, Mwanzo, Kamukunji, West Indies, Kipkaren, Pioneer, Langas, Chepkoilel and Air strip) within Eldoret Municipality. The data from completed questionnaires were cleaned, coded and entered into the computer and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The study findings indicates that the community service is an effective way of creating a favourable environment for the victims and offenders to reconcile.

The study also confirmed that the community service programme was an alternative measure to imprisonment and accelerates reconciliation between offenders with their victims as well as with their communities. This facilitates their reintegration into the community. Additionally, the finding established the need for community service programme as a non-custodial measure that should further be strengthened and supported by the government and stake holders. The implementation of such programme should be seen as responsibility of every Kenyan and endeavours should be made for its success as a new intervention to replace physical imprisonment. Since the area under study is representative, of the community service order implementation in Kenya; the finding have a potentiality for national application. The study adds knowledge to the area of community service order as a penal reform measure.