published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

Recidivism rates among ex-offender populations have consistently remained high. With over 600,000 ex-offenders being released from prison each year, reducing the rate of recidivism among the ex-offender class has become a highly debated issue. Ensuring ex-offenders successfully reintegrate into the community post-incarceration may help to reduce recidivism rates. Through a qualitative thematic analysis, this study examined various policies and program that may impact recidivism rates among ex-offenders. The policies and programs reviewed in this study were categorized among six main themes which were identified in prior literature as the most crucial elements needed for successful reintegration. The findings indicate that while many policy changes have been made to positively impact ex-offender reintegration by allowing initial access to services post-release from prison, more should be done to ensure ex-offenders actually receive needed services.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the psychological and social reasons for recidivism among women offenders of the law and explores the impact halfway houses could have on reducing recidivism in SA. Despite the problem of high crime and offender recidivism in SA there is a lack of research into projects within the country that are attempting to address the situation. This paper ascribes to be an authentic voice from one who has had the unique opportunity of observing the SA prison system from within, over a period of 15 years, and one who has sought to assist ex-offenders in their reintegration from prison to society by providing support once outside of prison over the past 10 years. The thesis is auto-ethnographic in design and method. This research examines the reasons for criminal acts among women and seeks to investigate and determine the unique complexities surrounding women and crime. A high prevalence of sexual and physical abuse is corroborated as common precursors to conduct problems in female offenders, while mental ill health is found to be marked among women in prison. Recommendations are made for the establishment of halfway houses in SA and strategies are suggested for the development of such halfway houses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die sielkundige en sosiale redes vir residivisme onder vroue oortreders van die wet en ondersoek die impak wat halfweghuise kan hê op die vermindering van residivisme in Suid-Afrika. Ten spyte van die probleem van hoë misdaad en residivisme in Suid-Afrika is daar nie baie geskryf oor projekte in die land wat probeer om die situasie aan te spreek nie. Hierdie verhandeeling is geskryf om 'n outentieke stem te wees van ‘n persoon wat ‘n unieke geleentheid het om die Suid-Afrikaanse gevangenis stelsel van binne af te sien oor 'n tydperk van 15 jaar, en wat poog om die probleem wat ex-oortreders vind met herintegrasie uit die tronk deur middel van ondersteuning buite die tronk vir die afgelope 10 jaar. Die verhandeling is outo-etnografies in ontwerp en metode. Hierdie tesis neem die redes in ag van kriminele dade onder vroue en poog om die unieke kompleksiteit rondom vroue en misdaad te ondersoek. Die navorsing staaf 'n hoë voorkoms van seksuele en fisiese mishandeling as 'n gemeenskaplike voorloper probleem in vroulike oortreders. Geestesgesondheid is waar geneem onder vroue in die tronk. Die idee van halfweghuise in die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap is op die been gebring. Die artikel stel verder strategie vir die ontwikkeling van die halfweghuise in Suid-Afrika voor.

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

This descriptive, statistical survey research design sought to identify factors that motivate individuals to stay crime free after serving time in prison. The purpose of this research study was to examine the factors that played a significant role in recidivism.

Text in English / The issue of offenders’ re-integration has become an important topic to the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa due to high number of incarcerated individuals who need to return back into the society as law abiding citizens. Around the world, scholars have researched about offenders’re- integration. However, they tend to focus on adult ex-offenders, neglecting young adult male ex-offenders’ experiences of the family re-entry process. Scholars neglected that the consequences of being incarcerated at a young age (age 19-34) puts young people at overwhelming risks of future incarceration, unemployment, poor physical and mental health. Therefore, this study focused on seven young adult male ex-offenders in Sekhukhune district, aged between 24 and 34 years who returned to their families after incarceration. Participants were selected using purposive sampling and volunteer self-selection sampling, through the assistance of Tswelopele Ex-Offenders Forums in Sekhukhune area. This study explored, described and interpreted the meaning, benefits, challenges and coping strategies of the young adult males in regard to their family re-entry processes. This goal was achieved by adopting the interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) research design and conducting individual semi-structured interviews with the young adult ex-offenders. The IPA data analysis guidelines were followed to analyse data and the Person-environment (P-E) fit theory grounded this analysis as the emerging themes were further interpreted in light of the assumptions of this theory. The findings show that the process of family re-entry was an emotional rollercoaster for the young men concerning moving forward post their incarceration. They specifically experienced different moments of ambivalence, which was due to reuniting with family members on the one hand, but having to rely on family members for support, on the other hand. While being back in the family led to emotions of happiness and satisfaction, not being able to meet their family expectations and to perform the roles expected of people of their age led to various negative emotions, including sadness and anxiety. / Psychology / M.A. (Research Consultation (Psychology))

Abstract in English, Venda and Tsonga / Released prisoners in Kenya have a 75% likelihood of committing another crime and a 50% probability of going to jail two years after their discharge from prison custody. From the trend of recidivism in Kenya, there are a staggeringly high number of offenders being incarcerated and eventually released back to the community, and the high risk of re-arrest and reincarceration is a concern for policymakers, criminologists and correctional managers. This study examined the influence of offender characteristics, offender reintegration and community perception and attitude regarding recidivism in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study adopted a survey research design. Findings reveal a statistically significant relationship between offender characteristics and recidivism. In addition, offender reintegration and community perception and attitude towards offenders greatly influence recidivism. From the study, it is recommended that the government provide correctional officers with the required resources to use the actuarial risk assessment model. The model is applied to the released offenders to predict the future probability of recidivism. In addition, it is recommended that the government and the various correctional stakeholders come up with an integrated approach that specifically targets successful re-entry of offenders upon release from prison. Finally, it is recommended that the government develop programmes targeting awareness of the community members to desist from stigmatising ex-offenders. / Vhafariwa vho vhofhololwaho ngei Kenya vha na khonadzeo ya 75% ya u ita vhuṅwe vhutshinyi na 50% ya khonadzeo ya u ya dzhele miṅwaha mivhili nga murahu ha u bva tshiṱokisini. U bva kha nzulele ya u tshinya fhafhu ngei Kenya, hu na u mangadza huhulwane ha tshivhalo tshi re nṱha tsha vhatshinyi vha re dzhele vhane vha fhedzisela vho vhofhololelwa murahu kha tshitshavha, khohakhombo khulwane ya u dovha u farwa hafhu na u valelwa hafhu dzhele zwi vhilaedzisa vhabveledzi vha mbekanyamaitele, vhaḓivhi vha zwa vhutshinyi na vhalanguli vha vhululamisi. Ngudo i ṱola ṱhuṱhuwedzo ya zwiṱaluli zwa mutshinyi, mbuedzedzo ya mutshinyi na zwine tshitshavha tsha mudzhiisa zwone na vhuvha zwi tshi ya kha u tshinya hafhu kha Dzingu ḽa Kakamega, Kenya. Ngudo yo shumisa tsedzuluso ya pulane yo dzudzanywaho ya ṱhoḓisiso. Mawanwa o dzumbulula tshivhalo tsha vhushaka ha ndeme vhukati ha zwiṱaluli zwa mutshinyi na u tshinya hafhu. U ḓadzisa khazwenezwo, mbuedzedzo y mutshinyi na zwine tshitshavha tsha mudzhiisa zwone na vhuvha zwi tshi ya kha vhatshinyi zwi ṱuṱuwedza nga huhulu u tshinya hafhu. U bva kha ngudo, hu themendelwa uri muvhuso u ṋetshedze vhaofisiri vha ndulamiso zwiko zwine zwa ṱoḓea u shumisa tshiedziso tsha u ṱola khohakhombo tsha vhukuma. Tshiedziso tshi shumiswa u vhofholola vhafariwa u humbulela khonadzeo ya vhumatshelo ya u tshinyahafhu. U ḓadzisa kha zwenezwo, hu themendelwa uri muvhuso na vhadzhiamukovhe vho fhambanaho vha vhululamisi vha ḓe na kuitele kwo ṱanganelaho kwo livhiswaho tshoṱhe kha u dzhena hafhu ha vhatshinyi musi vha tshi tou bva dzhele. Tsha u fhedzisela, hu themendelwa uri muvhuso u bveledzise mbekanyamushumo dzo livhiswaho kha u tsivhudza miraḓo ya tshitshavha u sa i sa phanḓa na u fara vhatshinyi vha kale nga nḓila i si yavhuḓi. / Vakhotsiwa lava tshunxiwaka eKenya va na 75% wa ntolovelo wa leswo va nga endla vugevenga byin’wana na 50% ta nkoteko wa ku ya ejele nakambe endzhaku ka ku tshunxiwa ka vona ejele. Kusuka eka ntolovelo wa ku vuyelela ku endla vugevenga nakambe eKenya, ku na nhlayo ya le henhla hindlela yo hlamarisa ya vaonhi lava va nga eku pfaleriweni ekhotsweni naswona endzhaku ka swona va tshunxiwa ku vuyela eka tindhawu ta vaaki, naswona ku na nxungeto wa le henhla wa ku khomiwa nakambe na ku pfaleriwa ekhotsweni nakambe hi vuntshwa, leswi i xivileriso eka vaendlatipholisi, vativi hi swa vugevenga na vafambisi va makhotso. Ndzavisisadyondzo lowu wu kambele nhlohlotelo wa swihlawulekisi swa vaonhi, ku hlanganisa nakambe vaonhi na vanhu eka tindhawu ta vaakandhawu na mavonelo na maehleketelo ya vaakandhawu hi mayelana na ku vuyelela ka swigevenga ku endla vugevenga eka Xifundza xa Kakamega, eKenya. Ndzavisisadyondzo lowu wu tirhise dizayini ya ndzavisiso wa mbalango ku nga survey research design. Leswi kumiweke swi paluxe vuxaka bya le henhla hindlela ya tinhlayonhlayo exikarhi ka swihlawulekisi swa vaonhi na vuyelelo bya ku endla vugevenga nakambe. Na le henhla ka sweswo, ku hlanganisa hi vuntshwa vaonhi na vaakandhawu nakambe hi vuntshwa na mavonelo na maehleketelo ya vaakandhawu eka vaonhi swi hlohlotela swinene vuyelelo bya ku endla vugevenga nakambe. Kusuka eka ndzavisisadyondzo, ku bumabumeriwa leswaku mfumo wu nyika vaofisiri va makhotso swipfuno leswi lavekaka ku tirhisa modlolo wa nhlahluvo wa nxungeto wa xiakichuwari ku nga actuarial risk assessment model. Modlolo lowu wu tirhisiwa eka vaonhi lava tshunxiweke ku vhumba nkoteko wa nkarhi lowu taka wa vuyelelo bya vugevenga nakambe. Ku tlhela nakambe ku bumabumeriwa leswaku mfumo na vakhomaxiave va makhotso vo hambanahambana va va na endlelo leri hlanganisiweke leri kongomisiwaka ngopfungopfu ku humeleka kahle ka ku vuyela ka vaonhi eka tindhawu ta vaaki loko vaonhi va tshunxiwa ekhotsweni. Xo hetelela, ku bumabumeriwa leswaku mfumo wu endla minongonoko leyi kongomisiweke eka vulemukisi bya vaakandhawu leswaku va tshika ku nyenyemuka khale ka vaonhi lava a va khotsiwile. / Corrections Management / Ph. D. (Criminal Justice)