Thesis (M.A.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Karen A. Curtis, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis -- Departmental honors in Sociology. / Spine title: Incarcerated males and their expectations for the future. Bibliography: ℓ. 94-95.

Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-87). Also available online in Scholars' Bank; and in ProQuest, free to University of Oregon users.

M.A. / Four out of every 1000 South Africans are in correctional facilities and adult males make up the majority of the total prison population in South Africa (Department of Correctional Services, 2005). Most prisoners eventually return to society and returning to criminal behaviour can occur very quickly. Ex-offenders face many challenges when reintegrating into society. Yet despite these challenges and the high rates of recidivism, many former offenders have achieved a socially approved adjustment, overcome their problems and become contributing members of society. Unfortunately one seldom hears the stories of those who have successfully reintegrated into society and there seems to be a lack of research in this area. Existing literature is largely focused on external factors which facilitate successful reintegration. However, there is a paucity of research on the psychofortological factors, such as psychological strengths and posttraumatic growth, which may contribute to this process. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify and explore psychofortological factors which may contribute to the successful reintegration of adult male ex-offenders into society. This research was influenced by the paradigm of positive psychology. From this perspective, people should be assessed on both their emotional problems and their strengths. One of the main premises of the strengths perspective is that people are capable of changing (O’Brien, 2001). This change can be facilitated by identifying a person’s strengths and resources, and using one’s strengths may increase success in many areas of life (Compton, 2005). It is important to know what a person has learned from their experiences and what resources they used to overcome challenges (Smith, 2006). This is particularly important in the case of offenders, since these insights may contribute to more successful adaptation. Although there are various ways to transformation and rehabilitation, there may be important similarities in the viewpoints of those who are desisting from crime. Thus there is a need for such research which could ii provide useful information regarding psychofortological factors which may contribute to successful reintegration. A qualitative approach was employed to explore the personal experiences of ex-offenders who have successfully reintegrated into society. The participants consisted of five adult male ex-offenders, who were interviewed according to a semi-structured interview schedule. Content analysis of the interviews was done according to the approach of Miles and Huberman (1994).

This study explores the early history of Sydney's Rocks area at two levels. First, it provides a much-needed history of the city's earliest, oldest-surviving and best-known precinct, one which allows an investigation of popular beliefs about the Rocks' convict origins, and which challenges and qualifies its reputation for lowlife, vice and squalor. Second, by examining fundamental aspects of everyday life - townscape, community and commonality, family life and work, human interaction and rites of passage - this study throws new light on the origins of Sydney from the perspective of the convict and ex-convict majority. Despite longstanding historical interest in Sydney's beginnings, the cultural identity, values, habits, beliefs of the convicts and ex-convicts remained largely hidden. The examination of such aspects reveals another Sydney altogether from that presented by governors, artists and mapmakers. Instead of an orderly oupost of empire, a gaol-town, or a 'gulag', the Sydney the Rocks represents was built and occupied largely according to the tastes, priorities and inclination of the people, with relatively little official regulation or interference. While the Rocks appeared 'disorderly' in the eyes of the elite, it nevertheless functioned according to cultural rules, those of the lower orders - the artisans, shopkeepers, publicans, labouring people, the majority of whom were convicts and ex-convicts.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2009. / Principal faculty advisor: Cynthia Robbins, Dept. of Sociology & Criminal Justice. Includes bibliographical references.

This study explores the early history of Sydney's Rocks area at two levels. First, it provides a much-needed history of the city's earliest, oldest-surviving and best-known precinct, one which allows an investigation of popular beliefs about the Rocks' convict origins, and which challenges and qualifies its reputation for lowlife, vice and squalor. Second, by examining fundamental aspects of everyday life - townscape, community and commonality, family life and work, human interaction and rites of passage - this study throws new light on the origins of Sydney from the perspective of the convict and ex-convict majority. Despite longstanding historical interest in Sydney's beginnings, the cultural identity, values, habits, beliefs of the convicts and ex-convicts remained largely hidden. The examination of such aspects reveals another Sydney altogether from that presented by governors, artists and mapmakers. Instead of an orderly oupost of empire, a gaol-town, or a 'gulag', the Sydney the Rocks represents was built and occupied largely according to the tastes, priorities and inclination of the people, with relatively little official regulation or interference. While the Rocks appeared 'disorderly' in the eyes of the elite, it nevertheless functioned according to cultural rules, those of the lower orders - the artisans, shopkeepers, publicans, labouring people, the majority of whom were convicts and ex-convicts.

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1993. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-121).

The purpose of this study was to establish the experiences of ex-offenders during reintegration into mainstream society in the Ekurhuleni region. The population, from which the study sample was drawn, comprised of adult ex-offenders in the Ekurhuleni region who have served time in prison. The research population also comprised of key informants, this category of participants targeted people with expert knowledge in the science of offender reintegration. The study utilised two semi-structured interview schedules comprising of open-ended questions as primary data collection tools. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. The research adopted a qualitative approach and an exploratory research design was used. The findings that emerged from the study show that both ex-offenders and the key informants regarded socio-economic problems such as poverty and inequality as the main factors contributing to the commission of crime. Participants highlighted that other causal factors of crime such as peer pressure and substance abuse are derived from the afore-mentioned socio-economic factors. Regarding the participants’ views on the rehabilitation programmes; many were of the view that they play a central role in reducing recidivism by confronting the risks and needs which lead to offending. Gaps were also identified by both ex-offenders and key informants in the rehabilitation system of South Africa and these ranged from the lack of continuity of services after release from prison; crime in prisons, idleness in prisons, appalling prison conditions such as overcrowding, lack of sanitation and maltreatment of offenders by prison officials and these pose a challenge to rehabilitation. Offenders face a litany of problems during reintegration and some of these are rejection by family and community, lack of a holistic approach to reintegration and unemployment problems. The conclusions drawn from the study are that most of the ex-offenders are repeat offenders and as such society needs to put in place structures and preventative measures to reduce the recidivism rates among ex-convicts. These structures and preventative measures should focus on the holistic needs and risks of offenders.

Born in London in 1791, George Augustus Middleton attended Cambridge University but failed to graduate. Ordained priest for the Colonies in 1819, he arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, in January 1820 and shortly after commenced work as Assistant Chaplain at Parramatta in the role of locum tenens for the Reverend Samuel Marsden. In 1821 he was appointed to the convict settlement of Newcastle, where, over the ensuing five and a half years he found himself in constant conflict with both the military and ecclesiastical authorities because of his perceived absenteesim and his agricultural dealings. His conflict with the Commandant of Newcastle, Major James Morisset, originated from his perceived interference in, and condemnation of, Morisset’s disregard for the Sabbath and Christian morality. Relations between the two men broke down completely and Middleton found himself criticised from the Governor down and very much isolated. In 1825, Archdeacon Thomas Hobbes Scott, a former secretary to Sir Thomas Bigge during Bigge’s enquiry into the state of New South Wales, arrived in Sydney and commenced the first structural organisation of the antipodean Anglican Church. Almost immediately relations between Scott and Middleton deteriorated to the point where, in 1827, Middleton resigned and moved to his land grant at Paterson, about 70 kilometres from Newcastle. Scholars since then have incorrectly seen the main cause of their conflict as Middleton’s perceived absenteeism, unaware that far greater differences existed. To Scott, Middleton was an incompetent administrator, a lax pastor and unfit for ministry. After resigning, Middleton acted as a pastor, farmer, Justice of the Peace and community member until 1832, when, forced by drought, he moved to Sydney where he established a school by which to support himself and his family. In 1836, William Grant Broughton, formerly the Archdeacon of Australia, and later the first and only Bishop of Australia, returned from England, and in 1837, licensed Middleton to the parish of Butterwick and Seaham. There Middleton served as pastor until his early death in 1848. / Masters Thesis