Borstal Boy
0 Followers
Recent papers in Borstal Boy
Where they are established, Borstal homes are meant to be places for reformation of juvenile and young offenders. Although they are no longer new to the modern criminal justice system, particularly in the area of corrections, people have... more
Where they are established, Borstal homes are meant to be places for reformation of juvenile and young offenders. Although they are no longer new to the modern criminal justice system, particularly in the area of corrections, people have continued to doubt their effectiveness in correcting the behavior of individuals. This paper, therefore, examined the purpose of Borstal homes/institutions and also assessed their effectiveness in Nigeria. It is found that, virtually all Borstal institutions in Nigeria are not living up to their expectations. Due to dearth of facilities in the borstal centers, most juvenile delinquents are sent to adult prisons where they become more tough offenders, recidivists and hardened criminals at adulthood. The paper suggested that, schools, families and community based corrections are more suitable for children that seem to act in contrary with the societal norms and values, not closed institution that separate them from family and adequate education. Borstal homes should not necessarily be discarded. However, to make the institutions more effective, the government should ensure child welfare and protection, education and healthcare to the young. This could leave the institutions with low number of young offenders that could be managed effectively.
Article history: Received 5 April 2018 Received in revised form 19 June 2018 Accepted 26 June 2018 Available online 3 July 2018 Where they are established, Borstal homes are meant to be places for reformation of juvenile and young... more
Article history: Received 5 April 2018 Received in revised form 19 June 2018 Accepted 26 June 2018 Available online 3 July 2018 Where they are established, Borstal homes are meant to be places for reformation of juvenile and young offenders. Although they are no longer new to the modern criminal justice system, particularly in the area of corrections, people have continued to doubt their effectiveness in correcting the behavior of individuals. This paper reviewed literature on the history and purpose of Borstal homes as well as those on their effectiveness in Nigeria. It was found that, virtually all Borstal institutions in Nigeria are not living up to their expectations. Due to the dearth of facilities in the borstal centers, many juvenile delinquents are sent to adult prisons as a result of which they learn more offending, become recidivists and hardened criminals at adulthood. Those living within the borstals are not given adequate care. The paper suggested that, schools, familie...