Abstract:
Lack of research and the sensitivity of the area initiated me to explore the Rehabilitation and
Reintegration Practices of Long-Term Prisoners in Tum Correctional Center, Maji District, Southern
Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regional State, Ethiopia. The study employed a qualitative research
approach and a case study research design. Twenty-six study participants were selected through
purposive sampling based on the data saturation points. The collected data were analyzed thematically.
The finding of this study showed that long-term prisoners in Tum Correctional Center attended a range
of rehabilitation programs such as educational and vocational training, physical healthcare,
agricultural work opportunities, handicrafts, income generation, and cultural activities, and physical
activities and recreation. However, long-term prisoners in Tum correctional centers have faced
challenges such as inadequate educational and vocational rehabilitation programs, lack of proper
physical healthcare and sanitary conditions, lack of counseling professionals, transportation problems,
and lack of support system and fairness problem. Those released have been challenged by several
complications during their transition from prison to the community. These include lack of housing, lack
of employment, and the problems of reestablishing familial and communal relations. As well there were
weak support systems from the community-based, faith-based organization and NGOs to facilitate
rehabilitation of inmates and smooth reintegration of prisoners upon release. The key conclusion of the
study was that inmates in Tum correctional center have participated with in some sort rehabilitation
programs but still faced various difficulties in accessing all the programs. So, the study recommends
that all stakeholders from federal to local government including Tum correctional centers should
improve and coordinate their respective programs to enable inmates to become productive upon release.
