Knowledge and Attitude of Correctional Officers and Inmates About Research Ethics in Nigeria

Respect for human rights is a desirable societal value geared towards the well-being of the general population. Protection of vulnerable individuals, specifically those under restricted living conditions, like the inmates of Correctional facilities, is still a subject of concern in Nigeria due to a lack of ethical guidelines for involving them in research, despite the volume of research carried out at these facilities. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the ethical issues raised by the conduct of correctional officers in research involving incarcerated individuals. In particular, the study aims to determine the extent to which correctional officers appointed to supervise research can interpret research protocols, ensuring that investigators comply with the ethics guidelines applicable to the research they conduct. The study seeks to provide answers to the question regarding the level of knowledge and attitude of correctional officers to ethical issues in conducting research with vulnerable inmates. The primary objective is to address ethical issues surrounding research with vulnerable populations at the Ijebu-Ode correctional facility in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study employed an exploratory method, utilizing qualitative approaches for data collection and analysis. The study was conducted at the Ijebu-Ode Correctional Centre in southwestern Nigeria. The study employs in-depth interviews (IDIs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) at the Ijebu-Ode correctional facility to gather information on knowledge, attitudes, and ethical practices in correctional institutions. To gather rich data on experiences, perceptions, and challenges related to conducting ethical research with vulnerable groups, semi-structured interviews were conducted with prisoners, correctional officers, and stakeholders. The data collected was content analyzed. The paper revealed that most correctional officers lacked formal training in research ethics. They had poor knowledge of the principles governing vulnerable populations. A breach of ethical guidelines was observed during research conducted with inmates at the facility. More importantly, correctional officers treat vulnerable populations as individuals who do not have any value to contribute to society in correctional-based research. Findings also show that some correctional officers will pick inmates at random without disclosing the nature of the research to them. The paper concludes that lack of knowledge of ethical guidelines among correctional officers poses a danger to inmates. Correctional officers should be trained in research ethics, which can be incorporated into their training curriculum.