A Sociological Analysis of Combined Jail Life of Juvenile and Adult Prisoners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

This study examines the outcomes of frequent relations between juvenile and adult prisoners at the populous prisons of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan in districts Mansehra, Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan. According to SPARC (2015), there were total of 199 juvenile prisoners out of them 132 were taken as a sample size through Sekaran (2010) sample size table. The primary data was collected through interview schedule, with major aim to see association of joint dwelling of adult prisoners and juvenile inmates in the selected prisons. For measuring the association between adult and juvenile inmates, a Chi-square test was applied by using Microsoft Excel. It was found that there exist a strong association of adult with juvenile inmates; which resulted in reinforcing the delinquent behaviour of juvenile by supporting them financially, providing them with various kinds of drugs and persuading them to join their networks after they were released. Such situation was directly contradictory to the well-being of juvenile inmates at jails, where they were supposed to rehabilitate their offending behaviour. The study recommends establishment of separate jails for juvenile inmates, being inclusive part of the JJSO-2000.