A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the 'Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Johannesburg, 1998 / TIlls research report examines the traditional theories of punishment, that is, retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation, and assesses their practical and empirical relevance in South Africa at the present time. It is argued that the theories of retribution and deterrence are largely inadequate to deal with offenders effectively, and consequently little relief in the crime rate could be anticipated if we were to institute a system of punishment based purely on punitive considerations. By contrast, it is argued that the theory of rehabilitation offers a more holistic approach to deal with offenders, and is really the only system which takes crime control seriously. In sum, it is argued that a system of punishment rooted in retributive 01' deterrent principles will neither be more just, more effective nor more humane than a system which has rehabilitation of offenders as its goal.

Thesis (MPA) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / The study investigated the management of the social reintegration programme in the Department of Correctional Services in Mbombela Municipality, Mpumalanga Province. The role played by the stake holders in the programme and the department in rehabilitating and reintegrating the offenders. The purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme; social acceptance and the application of skills obtained in the correctional facility as a deterrent to committing a further crime. Section 50 of the Correctional Services Act, 1998 (Act No. 111 of 1998); provide the following mandates; the objectives of the study is amongst others to afford sentenced offenders an opportunity to serve their sentences in a non- custodial manner, to enable persons subject to the programme to lead a specially responsible and crime free life during the period of their sentence and in future, to enable offenders to be rehabilitated in a manner that best keeps them as integral part of society and to enable them to be fully reintegrated into society when they have completed their sentences. The investigation is both qualitative and quantitative whereby; it would be descriptive; analytical, interpretive and evaluative. The findings of this study have shown that the majority of offenders do not lead a crime free life after imprisonment. However, Correctional programmes rendered are designed to equip offenders with skills to lead a responsible life on reintegration and also the level at which other stake-holders are involving themselves in the reintegration of offenders in order to reduce reoffending. The recommendations suggest the following as research findings: • Offenders should be equipped with skills that can make them employable and self-sufficient in the outside world. • Offenders should also be monitored even after hours; there must be no specific time of monitoring. • More resources should be channelled to the programme. • Correctional Services should employ the aid of external service providers in order to equip offenders with skills in the community and reduces the chances of reoffending. • External stake-holders should continue rendering programmes to ex-offenders who exited the system.

This study investigates the impact of education programmes on the rehabilitation of prisoners. For the purpose of this study, rehabilitation of a prisoner is a stage reached when a person, after admission into prison, undergoes specifically planned programmes that will help him or her to fit well into society (social adjustment), be accepted by family and community and not to re-enter prison after release. This study acknowledges the fact that education on its own is not necessarily rehabilitative, but education helps to equip people with knowledge and skills that they may use in the outside world so that they may not resort to criminal practices as a result of unemployment. Methods of rehabilitation in different countries have been studied with the aim of comparing them with those in the South African context. Theories concerning the causes and treatment of crime and some ways of rehabilitating prisoners have also been examined. Questionnaires with personal, administrative and institutions items were given to programme facilitators, participants in programmes, nonparticipants in programmes and to ex-prisoners. Some questionnaires were given to family members of prisoners. Also, interviews with prison warders were conducted. This study has shown that educational programmes have a positive impact on the rehabilitation of prisoners. Sentenced prisoners and ex-prisoners that participated in educational programmes confirmed this. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, [2007]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of education and training in the rehabilitation of inmates and its probable curbing of recidivism at Rooigrond Management Area. The study determined the impact the community and other stakeholders has in placing back law abiding citizens into the community. Due to the complexity of the research two methods were adopted, viz. qualitative and quantitative methods. The research comprised of two types of respondents, sixty inmates and forty officials all from Rooigrond Management Area. The primary instrument in the study was a structured questionnaire. Instruments such as frequency distribution, cross-tabulation were utilised to analyse the data collected to this study. The chi-square was also employed to assess the statistical significance of the variables. The results of the study revealed that training facilities were inadequate and also the curbing of recidivism through rehabilitation programmes that are offered at the prison were investigated. Maintenance and sustainable policies of rehabilitation programmes as mandated by Department of Correctional Services were seen as a valuable instrument for curbing recidivism and it has also shown that it has what it takes to place back law-abiding citizens when applied correctly. The significant finding of the study is that correctional officials need to change their attitude towards inmates and to have access to the policy on Education and Training. Furthermore, it needs to be realised that rehabilitation is not the sole responsibility of the DCS but the Department of Labour, the community and other stakeholders. Inmates should also be enlightened and oriented with Education and Training programmes. Based on the study in meeting the DCS to be one of the best in the world, every member of the DCS need to know his/her duties and/or responsibilities, core values and to know exactly where the Department is heading. Therefore, every member of the DCS need to align himself or herself with the vision of the DCS that state, "To be the best in the world in delivering correctional services with integrity and commitment to excellence. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2003

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing is gerig op die vrylating van die gevangene en bet ten doel om aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie, die Suid-Afrikaanse vrylatingstelsel binne die korrektiewe sisteem, histories met die nodige penologiese perspektief te beskryf. Aangesien bestaande Suid-Afrikaanse penologiese literatuur arm is aan inligting met betrekking tot die vrylating van die gevangene en meer spesifiek die vorme van vrylating, is verskeie bronne geidentifiseer ten einde historisiteit saam te vat en kontemporere beleid in die verband te bespreek. Alhoewel 1910 as vertrekpunt geneem is, is die fokus in die grootste mate geplaas op ontwikkeling sedert 1962. Bepaalde aksies deur onder andere die Inrigtingskomitee en Paroolraad kulmineer in die vrylating van die gevangene en om die rede bet die navorser ook die samestelling, bevoegdhede en werksaamhede van vermelde liggame nagevors en beskryf. / This research is aimed at the release of the prisoner and the objective is to historically elucidate the release system within the South African correctional system on the basis of a literature study, with the necessary penological perspective. Considering the fact that the existing literature on penology has hardly any information regarding the release of the prisoner and more specifically the different types of release, various sources have been identified in order to condense the historical information and to discuss contemporary policy in this regard. Although 1910 was taken as the starting point, the focus has largely been placed on development since 1962. Specific actions by, inter alia, the Institutional Committee and the Parole Board culminate in the release of the prisoner and for this reason the compilation, the competencies and the activities of the mentioned bodies were also described by the researcher. / M.A. (Penologie) / Sociology

Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree: Master of Arts in the field of Industrial & Economic Sociology School of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg South Africa July 2016 / This research study seeks to examine the South African labour market, using the case of ex-offenders and their difficulties in entering the formal labour market and securing full-time employment after they have been released from correctional facilities. The „Scarlet letter‟ in the title refers to a euphemism used to describe the effects of the criminal record on the prospect of employment. As part of the research, I also examine the perspectives of employers about their willingness to employ ex-offenders as well as some of the reservations they may have, as representatives of the labour market. Although there is extensive research on reintegration as well as barriers to reintegration, especially in Europe and the United States, none of these have married the labour market experiences and reintegration experiences of ex-offenders, especially in the South African context. This study employed qualitative research methods and techniques to explore the meaning ex-offenders attach to their social experiences. Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the lived experiences of these ex-offenders and a vivid picture from the key informants. In this regard, participants in the study consisted of thirteen Black male ex-offenders, three representatives from the National Institute for Crime Prevention and Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO), one representative from a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) called We Can Change Our World (WCCOW), five Human resource managers at a property management firm as part of a focus group discussion and one executive at a recruitment company. All interviewed ex-offenders shared similar experiences of their challenges and limited social and economic reintegration, especially related to finding a job in South Africa. The study reveals that discrimination in the workplace continues in contemporary South Africa, but such experiences are even worse for ex-offenders. The study concludes that a lot still needs to be done to transform the South African labour market and correctional facilities, linked policies and practice for the majority, especially ex-offenders who have “paid their debt to society”. / GR2017

Crime in the developing South African context presents a major sociopolitical challenge that goes beyond offender rehabilitation. Correctional services based rehabilitation programmes however represent an important component of a multi-dimensional strategy for impacting on crime and recidivism. Reports of the Correctional Service Department highlight the lack of resources and specialised personnel needed for rehabilitation programme delivery. The rehabilitation needs of the growing offender population are not being met and the need for personnel to facilitate the process is critical. The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of correctional officers towards their role in contributing to the offender rehabilitation process. The aims and objectives were to assess the self reported abilities, potential and willingness of these correctional officers towards contributing to the offender rehabilitation process. In part, this study hopes that the Department of Correctional Services might take note of the attitude and perceptions of these correctional officers concerning their role in rehabilitating offenders in order to construct an appropriate role for them in the rehabilitation process. The sample consisted of 117 correctional officers, 81 males and 36 females, of different age, sex, race, ranks, level of education and length of service. A questionnaire was designed, made up of rating scales to measure knowledge of rehabilitation models and services, attitudes and perceptions towards contributing to offender rehabilitation process and perceptions of personal and prison environment conditions. Even though the results show that correctional officers have a limited understanding and knowledge of the principles of the Programme-Developed Model of offender rehabilitation, they perceived offender rehabilitation within the framework of this model as a growth and development programme that will benefit offenders to cope with their life stresses. It is difficult however to tease out whether they have changed from a conceptually punitive to a rehabilitative way of conceptualising, relating to and treating the offenders. More research in this topic might clarify the attitude and perception of correctional officers towards offender rehabilitation because this will in part lay the basis for the success of the rehabilitation process. Better-educated correctional officers perceive themselves as motivated, skillful and willing to be trained further in order to partake in offender rehabilitation processes. Correctional officers perceived social work and education and training rehabilitation services as more useful and would like to do further training in these services in order to contribute towards facilitating offender rehabilitation programmes. Important differences in respect of gender, level of education and length of service were found which qualify this general finding. Stress, burnout and environmental conditions were found to impact negatively on correctional service officers' willingness and capacity to contribute to the rehabilitation process. Female correctional officers appear to experience prison conditions more negatively compared to males. These findings are discussed in terms of developing recommendations for the effective and rational use of correctional service officers as skilled members of a rehabilitation orientated team of professionals. / Thesis (M.A.)- University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing is gerig op die vrylating van die gevangene en bet ten doel om aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie, die Suid-Afrikaanse vrylatingstelsel binne die korrektiewe sisteem, histories met die nodige penologiese perspektief te beskryf. Aangesien bestaande Suid-Afrikaanse penologiese literatuur arm is aan inligting met betrekking tot die vrylating van die gevangene en meer spesifiek die vorme van vrylating, is verskeie bronne geidentifiseer ten einde historisiteit saam te vat en kontemporere beleid in die verband te bespreek. Alhoewel 1910 as vertrekpunt geneem is, is die fokus in die grootste mate geplaas op ontwikkeling sedert 1962. Bepaalde aksies deur onder andere die Inrigtingskomitee en Paroolraad kulmineer in die vrylating van die gevangene en om die rede bet die navorser ook die samestelling, bevoegdhede en werksaamhede van vermelde liggame nagevors en beskryf. / This research is aimed at the release of the prisoner and the objective is to historically elucidate the release system within the South African correctional system on the basis of a literature study, with the necessary penological perspective. Considering the fact that the existing literature on penology has hardly any information regarding the release of the prisoner and more specifically the different types of release, various sources have been identified in order to condense the historical information and to discuss contemporary policy in this regard. Although 1910 was taken as the starting point, the focus has largely been placed on development since 1962. Specific actions by, inter alia, the Institutional Committee and the Parole Board culminate in the release of the prisoner and for this reason the compilation, the competencies and the activities of the mentioned bodies were also described by the researcher. / M.A. (Penologie) / Sociology

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 2006. / The Department of Correctional Services provided very little guidance with regard to alternative means of maintaining rehabilitation through sport and recreation. Rehabilitation is the responsibility of the rehabilitative, custodial staff and the community. The judicious, fair and consistent operation of prgrammes is an importnat aid in the hands of the Department of Correctional Services to regulate the behaviour of inmates to ensure a satisfied and orderly prison community. This research is primarily focused on how to encourage inmates towards good behaviour, to instill a sense of responsibility in them and to ensure their interest and co-operation in the integration into sport and recreation. The Department of Correctional Services aspires to be an institution that delivers results in sport and recreation by utilising programmes to achieve these goals.

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract