Availability, accessibility and use of library information resources for control of criminality of inmates in correctional centres in South-West, Nigeria

Abstract

The act of relapsing to crime after release has become a recurrent decimal to inmate and it poses a security threat to the society. Persistence on incarceration of offenders without meaningful engagement is like remaking criminality rather than reformation. Extant literature suggests educational opportunities to reduce criminal involvement of inmates. This research investigated the availability, accessibility and use of library information resources for control of criminality among inmate in custodial centres in Southwestern Nigeria. Descriptive Survey Design was used and the population was 455 inmates who affirmed that tapes, radio sets, television sets, sound recording gadgets, video and audio cassette were available for use by inmates in their custodial centre (mean = 3.20), books were adequately available for use by inmates in their custodial centre (mean = 3.06) and pamphlets were parts of reading materials available for use by inmates in their custodial centre (mean = 2.62). The mean score range of 2.50 to 3.24 indicated a high level of availability while 3.25 to 4.00 indicated a very high level of accessibility of library information resources in the custodial centres in Southwestern Nigeria. It was concluded that with the availability and accessibility of library information resources to the inmates, the maximum use of the resources is capable of controlling criminality tendencies among inmates in custodial centres in Southwestern Nigeria.