Social Discrimination as a Predictor of Criminal Recidivism: A Study of Ex-Prisoners in Metropolitan Kano-Nigeria

Social discrimination is one of the major challenges faced by the ex-prisoners when returning to their society which could have an adverse effect on criminal recidivism. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of social discrimination on criminal recidivism among ex-prisoners in metropolitan Kano using two dimensions (racial and criminal record discrimination). Data was collected using survey questionnaire and it was analysed using Partial Least Squares model (PLS). The finding of the study shows that both racial discrimination and criminal record discrimination of ex-prisoners are having significant effects towards criminal recidivism and they accounted for 42.5% R2. Moreover, criminal record discrimination was found to have larger effect than racial discrimination. It is concluded that, social discrimination of ex-prisoners is a predictor of criminal recidivism and criminal record type of discrimination is having more effect toward recidivism

Preliminary studies on food and feeding habits of Polypterus endlicheri and Polypterus senegalus in Lake Chad

The food and feeding habits of Polyprerus cncllicheri and Polypterus senegalus was carried out in the months of September to October. The food of 33 Polypierus endlicheri as observed include Tilapia species (89.3%), Eutropius niloticus (28.6%), Mayfly nymph (39.3%), Dragon fly larva (56.6%) fish remains (21.4%) and detritus (7.1%). The food of27 Polypterus senegalus as observed include Tilapia sp (88.4%), Eutropius niloticus (27.9%), may fly nymph (23.3%), Dragonfly nymph (34.9%) remains (21.1%) detritus (23.3%). (9 page document) The percentage occurrence of food item found in the stomach of Polypterus endlieheri is 93.3% while that of Polyprerus senegalus is 67.4%. The dominance of Tilapia sp was establish in the study, and there is no significant difference between the feeding habit of Polypterus endlicheri and Polyprerus senegalus

Predictors of criminal recidivism: A study of recidivists in metropolitan Kano, Nigeria

Criminal recidivism is a holistic phenomenon as a result of the interplay between institution, social and individual personality factors. This contributed to the alarming rates of re-offending among ex-prisoners. The objective of this study is to examine predictors of criminal recidivism. Specifically, the study examines the effects of prison institution, social stigma, ostracism, discrimination and personality factors on recidivism. The study also examines the mediating effect of stigma, ostracism, discrimination and personality traits on recidivism. Data were collected by survey method and in-depth interview. A total sample of 256 ex-prisoners has been selected by purposive sampling strategy and six ex-prisoners were randomly selected for interview. Partial Least Square method (PLS) was used to test the hypothesized relationship for the study and Nvivo was used to analyse the qualitative data. The findings of the study show a significant relationship between prison experiences, stigma, discrimination, conscientiousness, agreeableness traits and criminal recidivism. Moreover, the study establishes that social discrimination and conscientiousness significantly mediates the relationship between prison experience and criminal recidivism among ex-prisoners. This study contributes beneficial insights in terms of theoretical, methodological and policy. Suggestions for future studies are also identified and discusse

Silver (I) complexes of methylene bridged quinoline functionalised Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands

This paper describes the synthesis of Silver (I) complexes of methylene bridged quinoline functionalized Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands, by stirring imidazolium salts with silver oxide to obtain the complexes in good yield. The complexes were structurally characterized by 1H NMR, 13 NMR, microanalysis and X-ray crystallography. The geometry of the complexes as revealed by the crystal structure showed that the complexes have linear structures. All reactions involving silver were conducted under the exclusion of light. Keywords: NHC, Imidazolium salt, ligand, silve

Synthesis of Mn(II) and Fe(II) Complexes with Ethylenediamine and Acetylacetonate Ligands

Synthesis of acetylacetonato, ethylenediamine manganese (II) complex and acetylacetonato, ethylenediamine iron (II) complex were carried out, a pale yellow and brown solids were obtained from the reaction.  The solubility tests of the complexes were carried out, in which manganese (II) complex was found to be soluble in water, methanol and ethanol and insoluble in chloroform and petroleum ether while the iron (II) complex was found to be slightly soluble in water, methanol and ethanol and insoluble in chloroform and petroleum ether. The UV visible spectra of manganese (II) complex showed absorption maximum at around 480nm, and infrared spectra of manganese (II) complex showed absorption band at 1725cm-1. Keywords: Acetylacetone, manganese, iron, ethylenediamine

Historicity of the Potential Capacity and Values of Tourism Sites of Kwatarkwashi Mountain in Zamfara State

Fundamentally, tourism industry with reference to its potential capability and values in yielding flourishing socio-cultural heritage, spiritual and economic advantages have not been properly explored in Nigeria, specifically in Kwatarkwashi townin Zamfara State. This might have probably arises from poor awareness and non-commitment attitude of government, lack of economic consciousness and poor sensitisation of the host community. Normatively, tourism is a subtle and complex multidisciplinary area of studies identified with leading roles in theology, archaeology, history, geography, socio-cultural, economic, political and religious development. In geographical realities, Kwatarkwashi is situated on a concentric igneous and sedimentary rocks formation with varied springs (Ruwan Kura- meaning water Jurassic),caves and mountainous features.The study largely approved that Kwatarkwashi hasthe potentials for establishment of enviable tourism historical siteslike the Baura (autochthonous wrestling) cultural activity with the ability to engendering demand locally for infrastructural accretion. It also has the tendency for consumption of local products in tourists’ accommodation, restaurants and food markets among others. However, the study recommends that Kwatarkwashi tourism industry has the potential capacity and values to enhancing demand for agriculture; fisheries and food processing; promotion of light manufacturing products, viz;garment industry, handicrafts and goods and services from the informal sector.Of greatest challenges affecting Zamfara State, tourism industry would have the propensity to dissuade unwarranted competition for mono-economic of oil; discourage armed banditry,farmers-herdsmen wrangling through provision of employment; incomes for individual, host community, State, domestic and international investorsto Nigeria. Methodologically, the study adopted the used of synthesised primary and secondary sources using SPSS data interpretation. Information were extracted from male and female inhabitants of Kwatarkwashi rocks/mountain and town which covered one hundred (100) respondents selected across the various units. Key Words: Historicity, Potential, Capacity, Values, Tourism Sites DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/60-04 Publication date: June  30th 202

Query Expansion: Is It Necessary In Textual Case-Based Reasoning?

Query expansion (QE) is the process of transforming a seed query to improve retrieval performance in information retrieval operations. It is often intended to overcome a vocabulary mismatch between the query and the document collection. Query expansion is known to improve retrieval effectiveness of some information retrieval systems, however, its effect in Textual Case-based reasoning (TCBR) which is closely related to the field of Information Retrieval has not been well studied. In this research, a TCBR System intended for storage and retrieval of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) named FAQCase was developed. Experiments were conducted to examine the effect of synonym-based query expansion on the system. The result has shown that there is significant retrieval improvement in FAQCase with query expansion over FAQCase without query expansion, in a situation where vocabulary mismatch between new questions and the stored FAQs is high.Keywords: Query expansion, Textual case-based reasoning, Word sense disambiguation, WordNetNigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science (2011), 19 (2): 269-27

Mixed donor carbene pyridyl ligands and their metal complexes

This thesis describes the synthesis of a series of Ag(I), Pd(II), Rh(I) and Ir(I) complexes of quinoline functionalised nucleophilic heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. The transmetallation properties of the Ag(I) complexes were utilised to prepare the corresponding Pd(II), Rh (I) and Ir(I) (NHC) complexes. A series of quinoline based imidazolium, pyrimidinium salts were prepared and characterised as NHC ligand precursors. Ag(I)(NHC) complexes were prepared by the reaction of the quinoline functionalised salts with Ag20 in DCM. All complexes were spectroscopically characterised and the results of single X- ray crystallographic studies are reported for two of the complexes and the geometry around the silver cation was observed to be distorted linear. Two quinoline based palladium (II) (NHC) complexes were prepared via transmetallation Ag(I)(NHC) complexes is reported. The synthesis of a series of methylene bridged quinoline functionalised Rh (I) and Ir(I) (NHC) complexes through transmetallation of the Ag(I)(NHC) complexes is reported and the results of single X-ray crystallographic studies are reported for most of the complexes showing consistent pattern in term of bond lengths and angles. Two of the Ir(I) (NHC) complexes were tested as catalysts in transfer hydrogenation reactions, showing good activity at low Ir loadings.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

An overview of hazardous waste management in Nigeria

Hazardous wastes are substances that are no longer needed and have no current or perceived value at a given time or place. Many of the materials used or produced in chemical processes possess hazardous properties. The key hazardous wastes sources include industrial, medical, and household wastes, and occur in solid, liquid, or gaseous states. These are wastes that are classified and/or have intrinsic or inbuilt chemical and physical distinctiveness of toxicity, ignitability, corrosivity, and reactivity. Managing hazardous wastes is of immense significance to human, economic, social and environmental health conditions. Hazardous wastes management practice in Nigeria is not in consonance with the best global practices. Many hazardous wastes are dumped indiscriminately, which constitutes hazard to the environment and posed public health concerns. This study analysed the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of hazardous wastes management in Nigeria. There are various environmental regulations on hazardous wastes in the country, but implementation remains a challenge, as such there is need for more proactive measures to be taken towards sustainable solutions to the problems

Mixed donor carbene pyridyl ligands and their metal complexes

This thesis describes the synthesis of a series of Ag(I), Pd(II), Rh(I) and Ir(I) complexes of quinoline functionalised nucleophilic heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. The transmetallation properties of the Ag(I) complexes were utilised to prepare the corresponding Pd(II), Rh (I) and Ir(I) (NHC) complexes. A series of quinoline based imidazolium, pyrimidinium salts were prepared and characterised as NHC ligand precursors. Ag(I)(NHC) complexes were prepared by the reaction of the quinoline functionalised salts with Ag20 in DCM. All complexes were spectroscopically characterised and the results of single X- ray crystallographic studies are reported for two of the complexes and the geometry around the silver cation was observed to be distorted linear. Two quinoline based palladium (II) (NHC) complexes were prepared via transmetallation Ag(I)(NHC) complexes is reported. The synthesis of a series of methylene bridged quinoline functionalised Rh (I) and Ir(I) (NHC) complexes through transmetallation of the Ag(I)(NHC) complexes is reported and the results of single X-ray crystallographic studies are reported for most of the complexes showing consistent pattern in term of bond lengths and angles. Two of the Ir(I) (NHC) complexes were tested as catalysts in transfer hydrogenation reactions, showing good activity at low Ir loadings