The Contribution of Prisoners’ Participation on Growth of Economic Development Projects:

Abstract

The study assessed the contribution of prisoners’ participation on Economic Development projects in Dar es Salaam city Tanzania. Specifically, the study identified stakeholders responsible on economic development projects conducted in Dar es Salaam city. Examined the contribution of prisoners to the growth of economic development projects in Dar es Salaam city and evaluated the results generated after prisoners’ participation on economic development projects in Dar es Salaam city. The study employed mixed research approach where both quantitative and qualitative approaches employed. The study used questionnaire and interview to collect data and analyzed using descriptive and content analysis. The study results show that stakeholders who are responsible on economic development projects, found that government is the key stakeholder for economic development projects, followed by private sectors, Non-Governmental Organizations, prison staff and prisoners. On the contribution of prisoners to the growth of economic development projects, the study found that prison has positive contribution in terms of technical support, information, local activities support, sharing of knowledge and best practices when implementing economic development projects. Regarding the results generated after prisoners’ participation on economic development projects the study found that prisoners’ involvement and participation in economic development projects has resulted into growth in industries, agricultural sectors, housing sector and infrastructures such as roads. The study recommends that the government to create a supportive environment for private sectors and other stakeholder to implementing economic development projects, this is because the government alone cannot do all the economic projects. The study also recommends the management of prison to continue offering technical support, information, local activities support, also sharing of knowledge and best practices when implementing economic development projects in their societies and community at large. This is because their participation has positive impact to all economic development projects. The regression analysis output confirmed that there is a significant positive relationship between technical support and growth of economic development projects as the p-value is 0.044, which is less than 0.05. Furthermore, the regression analysis output confirmed that there is a significant positive relationship between Information flow and the growth of economic development projects, as the p-value is 0.000. Moreover, the regression analysis found a positive significant relationship between provision of local support and growth of economic development projects as p value is 0.016. The study also revealed a positive significant relationship between sharing of knowledge and best practices and growth of economic development as the p value was 0.030. Lastly, the study recommends management of the prison to enhance prisoners’ involvement and participation in economic development projects because it has positive impact on the growth in industries, agricultural sectors, housing sector and infrastructures such as roads.