Unemployment and Deviant Behaviors amongst Prison in-mates in Calabar, Nigeria A Cause -effect relationship

This article aims at exploring the issue of unemployment and deviant behavior in Nigeria. Unemployment rate is a phenomenon that is bedeviling various nations across the globe in varying degrees as it affects policies and development. Currently, there has been an upsurge in the frequency of unemployment in Nigeria. This has caused fear among the citizens as security of lives and properties can no longer be guaranteed. The phenomenon of unemployment has impacted negatively on the economic, social and political life of the nation. The growing population of any nation represents the driving force for development. For such growing population to become useful resources, they must be gainfully employed. A questionnaire termed “Unemployment and Deviant Behavior Questionnaire” (UDBQ) was administered on 200 respondents selected from the inmate of Calabar Prison through purposive sampling technique. Data were analyzed using One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The finding established a significant relationship between unemployment and deviant behavior in Calabar Cross River State. Solutions and suggestions were made that family planning should be encouraged in other to tame the rising population growth in the country. Also, the educational system must promote youth entrepreneurship, innovative skills and virile apprenticeship schemes rather than focusing on theoretical learning alone if the issue of unemployment and deviant behaviors must be resolved.