This study used a complex adaptive systems approach to explore innovations geared towards the rehabilitation of offenders in the Department of Correctional Services. It examined how innovations came about in view of the complex adaptive nature of the department, which is defined as a complex system with agents having various schema and mental models. It used complex adaptive systems approach as a lens through which to view the emergence of correctional innovations. This was achieved through a multi-methodical qualitative research approach to data collection, using interviews and documentary data to unpack public sector innovation, with the Correctional Services‟ Service Delivery Improvement directorate as a unit of analysis. This study further explored the compatibility of the five bedrock principles of a complex adaptive system and how such principles have shaped the emergence of innovations in a public sector organization where all innovative efforts are geared towards the improvement of service delivery as opposed to profit-making for competitive advantage, as is often the case with the profit-making sectors. In view of the dynamic and nonlinearity nature of organizational systems, the use of a complex adaptive systems perspective provided this study with a pivotal tool to analyse innovation as an emergent property of a complex adaptive system rather than as a carefully planned organizational element emanating from either strategic planning or research and development initiatives of an organization. This is further strengthened by the lack of employment of complexity science in public sector organizations like Correctional Services in particular. The study sought to achieve ground-breaking work in using complex adaptive systems perspective in innovation within the Department of Correctional Services, a terrain that has not been ventured into before. It was seen to be of crucial significance to explore innovation using complex adaptive systems and to adopt a paradigm that was initially designed for the natural sciences, and has been adopted by profit-making organizations and cascaded to the non-profit making sector as represented by the Department Correctional Services. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This research project was undertaken to establish what influence the lack of discipline amongst prisoners and members of Correctional Services has on the rehabilitation of offenders. A complete literature study was done to investigate the current lack of discipline amongst prisoners and members. Discipline is also brought into relationship with community based sentences such as Correctional Supervision as well as the involvement of the community in the release of prisoners. Positive rehabilitation can lead to crime prevention but the Department of Correctional Services and the community will have to take hands to reach this common goal. This subject needs further research in order to make recommendations to promote rehabilitation of off enders and to uplift the standard of discipline within the Department of Correctional Services. / Hierdie ondersoek is onderneem om die invloed van gevangenes en personeeldissipline binne die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste in verband te bring met die invloed wat dit het op die rehabilitasie van oortreders. 'n Volledige literatuurstudie is gedoen om die huidige tendens van swak dissipline onder gevangenes sowel as lede te ondersoek. Die dissipline word ook in verband gebring met gemeenskapgebaseerde vonnisse soos byvoorbeeld Korrektiewe toesig sowel as die betrokkenheid van die gemeenskap by die vrylating van oortreders. Positiewe rehabilitasie kan lei tot misdaadvoorkoming, maar dan sal die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste en die gemeenskap moet hande vat om hierdie gemeenskaplike doel te bereik. Verdere navorsing in die verband word beoog om sodoende werkbare aanbevelings te kan doen ten opsigte van beter dissipline onder gevangenes en personeel van die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste. / Penology / M.A. (Penology)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This research project was undertaken to establish what influence the lack of discipline amongst prisoners and members of Correctional Services has on the rehabilitation of offenders. A complete literature study was done to investigate the current lack of discipline amongst prisoners and members. Discipline is also brought into relationship with community based sentences such as Correctional Supervision as well as the involvement of the community in the release of prisoners. Positive rehabilitation can lead to crime prevention but the Department of Correctional Services and the community will have to take hands to reach this common goal. This subject needs further research in order to make recommendations to promote rehabilitation of off enders and to uplift the standard of discipline within the Department of Correctional Services. / Hierdie ondersoek is onderneem om die invloed van gevangenes en personeeldissipline binne die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste in verband te bring met die invloed wat dit het op die rehabilitasie van oortreders. 'n Volledige literatuurstudie is gedoen om die huidige tendens van swak dissipline onder gevangenes sowel as lede te ondersoek. Die dissipline word ook in verband gebring met gemeenskapgebaseerde vonnisse soos byvoorbeeld Korrektiewe toesig sowel as die betrokkenheid van die gemeenskap by die vrylating van oortreders. Positiewe rehabilitasie kan lei tot misdaadvoorkoming, maar dan sal die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste en die gemeenskap moet hande vat om hierdie gemeenskaplike doel te bereik. Verdere navorsing in die verband word beoog om sodoende werkbare aanbevelings te kan doen ten opsigte van beter dissipline onder gevangenes en personeel van die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste. / Penology / M.A. (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 / 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)