The researcher conducted a mixed method research study on parole violations from a South African perspective. In South Africa, there is limited research regarding the causes of parole violations. Thus, the study is mainly descriptive, but also exploratory in nature and considered a first of its kind. The study aimed to explore parole violation as a phenomenon through the perceptions, opinions, attitudes and incident recall of re-incarcerated parolees. Furthermore, the study aimed to describe the causes for parolees to fail on parole. A two-phase sequential mixed methods research design was used that involved the collection and analysis of primarily quantitative data from self-administered questionnaires. These questionnaires were complemented by a qualitative data collection phase consisting of focus group interviews. A representative sample (n=111) chosen according to the various ethnic groups was drawn from a population of 1 111 adult male parole violators in the Gauteng region (aligned to the regional divisions used by the Department of Correctional Services and not to the provincial borders) for the quantitative phase. Non-probability sampling was used to select 22 participants who volunteered for the second, qualitative phase of the study (focus group interviews). Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyse the data collected from the questionnaires. The data was analysed by means of frequencies (frequency tables and graphs) to describe one variable and cross tabulations (contingency tables) to show bivariate quantitative data. All the focus group interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. The transcripts provided a complete record of the discussions and helped to facilitate the analysis of the data according to identified, recurring themes. On release, many stigmatised and rejected parolees face widespread post-release challenges that prevent successful reintegration. The study revealed that poor pre-release planning and post-release support, a lack of education, unemployment, substance abuse, and a loss of family support are described as the main causes of parole violations. The recommendations from the research findings showed the importance of pre-release planning, risk assessment, employment, education, treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, community partnerships, family involvement, and graduated responses to parole violations that are fair, consistent, and legal. / Penology / D.Lit. et Phil. (Penology)

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English, and English title page / This thesis is an attempt to give a penological evaluation relating to A comparative penological investigaion regarding Correctional Policy and Legislation, which is the aim of this research. This penological literature study will focus on an historic overview of the prison as an institution for punishment. Besides the historical background of the South African prison system it is also thereby placed on the policy and legislation of countries such as the Netherland's and England's prison institutions. After the implementing of policy and legislation in the prison systems the basis for an improved prison system was formed. Important core understandings of policy and the application of lawful prescriptions were checked and the different levels of the policy were included in the South African correctional system. Features of the policy and legislation were continually adapted after the changing needs and circumstances on social, economic and political environments. Consequently indicating in this comparative penological investigation it has come to the conclusion that no penalty institution can function normally and efficiently without a well-considered policy and legislation. It has been found that the formulation and implementation of the policy and prescriptions are an important part of the planning process of the correctional system. Rational for the search for correctional policy and legislation are mainly examined in South Africa and consequently it was to identify the respective policy and lawful prescriptions. It was contracted against the background of the maintenance and protection of a just, peaceful and safe society as the Law enforces verdicts of courts to imposed, charge like all captive sentence safe conservation to while their human dignity is assured and same time around the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, No 108 of 1996. This Act was also promoting the social responsibility and human development of all prisoners and persons subject to community corrections. The implementation of policy and lawful prescriptions were orderly emphasised to the advantage or disadvantage of the captive and the prison system. This comparative investigation gave recognisance to international principles over corrective events and is included in a penological perspective at the same time. / Hierdie proefskrif is 'n poging om 'n teoretiese-prinsipiele uiteensetting te gee oor 'n Vergelykende penologiese ondersoek rakende Korrektiewebeleid en Wetgewing ten einde die doelwit van hierdie navorsing te bereik. 'n Literatuurstudie oor die historiese ontwikkeling van die gevangenis as strafinrigting is ingestel en is gefokus op die gevangenisstelsels in Suid-Afrika, Engeland en Nederland. Benewens hierdie historiese agtergrond is die doel om die ontwikkeling van die strafbeleid en wetgewing in oorsese lande en in Suid-Afrika te identifiseer ten einde die verandering binne die gevangenisstelsels te verstaan. Hierdie gebeurtenisse van vroeer en hedendaags het die grondslag gevorm vir 'n verbeterde gevangenisstelsel. Belangrike kernbegrippe van beleid en die toepassing van wetlike voorskrifte is nagegaan en die verskillende vlakke van beleid wat betrekking het op die Suid-Afrikaanse korrektiewe stelsel is omskryf. Wetgewing is as die hoogste vlak van beleid beskryf en gevolglik word beleid en wetgewing voortdurend aangepas na gelang van veranderde behoeftes en omstandighede op maatskaplike-, ekonomiese- en politieke terreine. In hierdie penologiese ondersoek is aangedui dat geen strafinstelling normaal en doeltreffend kan funksioneer sonder 'n deurdagte beleid en wetgewing nie. Daar is aangedui dat die formulering en implementering van die beleid en voorskrifte deel is van die beplanningsproses van die korrektiewe stelsel. Die rasionaal van korrektiewebeleid en wetgewing is hoofsaaklik in Suid-Afrika ondersoek en is onderskeie beleidsrigting en wetlike voorskrifte in oenskou geneem. Oit is gedoen teen die agtergrond van die instandhouding en beskerming van 'n regverdige, vreedsame en veilige samelewing wat deur die Wet voorgeskryf is om alle gevangenes in veilige bewaring aan te hou terwyl hul menswaardigheid verseker word. Dienooreenkomstig is daar uitvoering gegee aan die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, No 108 van 1996 en bevorder hierdie Wet die maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid en die menslike ontwikkeling van aile gevangenes en persone onderworpe aan gemeenskapskorreksies. Die implemetering van korrektiewebeleid en wetlike voorskrifte is menigmale beklemtoon tot voordeel of nadeel van die gevangene en die gevangenisstelsel. Terselfdertyd is daar in hierdie vergelykende penologiese navorsing erkenning gegee aan internasionale beginsels oor korrektiewe aangeleenthede en is dit terselfdetyd in penologiese perspektief geplaas. / Criminology and Security Science / D.Litt. et Phil. (Penology)

In this research project the overcrowding problem in South African prisons will be analysed as well as the influence it had on the rehabilitation of offenders. The problem of overcrowding in South Africa's prisons is very clear when the approved accommodation of a prison is compared with the actual number of prisoners incarcerated. Prison sentences are a favoured form of punishment throughout the world. More and more people seek alternatives to incarceration in order to reduce prison overcrowding. The time to finalize criminal cases, releases on bail, the abolishment of minimum sentences and better utilization of community based sentences are some of the issues which can reduce overcrowding. One of the concepts that was implemented to establish rehabilitation within prisons was Unit Management. The number of prisoners incarcerated makes it difficult for Unit Management to be effective. In some cases prisoners are kept under inhumane conditions which is a violation of the Constitution of South Africa. Currently the morale of members of Correctional Services is very low and this has an influence on the way in which they treat prisoners. These members are supposed to be an example to prisoners but instead their bad behaviour has a negative influence on prisoner's discipline. Correctional Services goal is to make every member a rehabilitator but overcrowding will first have to be reduced. Individual attention to prisoners is one of the building blocks of Unit Management but overcrowding of prisons creates a member/prisoner ratio which is far too high to be effective with rehabilitating prisoners. Community based sentences can also be utilized more frequently by the courts. It can better rehabilitation possibilities and through this the objectives of punishment are met. In the past the focus of South African Law was on the criminal. With the Correctional Services Act (Act 111/1998) this focus was shifted to the victim as well. Both these parties can now come together and discuss the offence as well as the influence it had on the victim. This is called restorative justice and it helps the offender with re-integration into the community. / Criminology and Security Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Penology)

The researcher conducted a mixed method research study on parole violations from a South African perspective. In South Africa, there is limited research regarding the causes of parole violations. Thus, the study is mainly descriptive, but also exploratory in nature and considered a first of its kind. The study aimed to explore parole violation as a phenomenon through the perceptions, opinions, attitudes and incident recall of re-incarcerated parolees. Furthermore, the study aimed to describe the causes for parolees to fail on parole. A two-phase sequential mixed methods research design was used that involved the collection and analysis of primarily quantitative data from self-administered questionnaires. These questionnaires were complemented by a qualitative data collection phase consisting of focus group interviews. A representative sample (n=111) chosen according to the various ethnic groups was drawn from a population of 1 111 adult male parole violators in the Gauteng region (aligned to the regional divisions used by the Department of Correctional Services and not to the provincial borders) for the quantitative phase. Non-probability sampling was used to select 22 participants who volunteered for the second, qualitative phase of the study (focus group interviews). Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyse the data collected from the questionnaires. The data was analysed by means of frequencies (frequency tables and graphs) to describe one variable and cross tabulations (contingency tables) to show bivariate quantitative data. All the focus group interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. The transcripts provided a complete record of the discussions and helped to facilitate the analysis of the data according to identified, recurring themes. On release, many stigmatised and rejected parolees face widespread post-release challenges that prevent successful reintegration. The study revealed that poor pre-release planning and post-release support, a lack of education, unemployment, substance abuse, and a loss of family support are described as the main causes of parole violations. The recommendations from the research findings showed the importance of pre-release planning, risk assessment, employment, education, treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, community partnerships, family involvement, and graduated responses to parole violations that are fair, consistent, and legal. / Penology / D.Lit. et Phil. (Penology)

The transformation of the Department of Correctional Services into an institution of rehabilitation and the promotion of corrections as a societal responsibility brought a new dimension to the release policy of South Africa. A new Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 came into effect and the Department of Correctional Services published a White Paper on Corrections during 2005. The idealistic correctional goal of protecting the community while rehabilitating the offender has served as a reason for conducting research into the parole process from a South African perspective. The qualitative aim of the study is to explore parole as a phenomenon and to describe the process involved in successfully reintegrating an offender into the community. The significant role that Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards play in the parole process and the emphasis they place on community safety, the interest of the victim and the rehabilitation and control of offenders as part of their mission statement are highlighted in the study. / Penology / M.A. (Penology)

The transformation of the Department of Correctional Services into an institution of rehabilitation and the promotion of corrections as a societal responsibility brought a new dimension to the release policy of South Africa. A new Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 came into effect and the Department of Correctional Services published a White Paper on Corrections during 2005. The idealistic correctional goal of protecting the community while rehabilitating the offender has served as a reason for conducting research into the parole process from a South African perspective. The qualitative aim of the study is to explore parole as a phenomenon and to describe the process involved in successfully reintegrating an offender into the community. The significant role that Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards play in the parole process and the emphasis they place on community safety, the interest of the victim and the rehabilitation and control of offenders as part of their mission statement are highlighted in the study. / Penology / M.A. (Penology)