Crime in South Africa is one of the serious challenges facing post- apartheid democracy. As a result, many people find themselves jailed for different crimes which impact their ability to obtain formal employment upon release from jail. Therefore, employment is considered to be a significant contributor to an ex-offender not returning to offending behaviour. It is thus proposed that society has an essential and active role to play in attempts to lower recidivism rates. The hypothesis of this research was that lack of job opportunities for ex-offenders contributes to them breaking parole conditions. Also, communities where ex-offenders come from are not well prepared to welcome them back as transformed people. This treatment of ex-offenders contributes to them reoffending. Furthermore, the brick making industry plays a crucial role in the lives of ex-offenders by giving them an opportunity to be employed after serving their sentences. Finally, employment in the brick making business brings dignity back to the lives of ex-offenders. This study used qualitative research methods to address the research questions and gather relevant data. The use of a qualitative approach was adopted as it allows a deeper exploration of the different research objectives and questions of the study. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings of this study have revealed that the brick making business in the Mthatha region, in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, is making a big difference in the lives of ex-offenders by offering them the opportunity to gain paid employment, thus contributing to their proper reintegration in their communities.

Prisoner reentry is becomingly increasingly recognised as a significant societal problem. Almost all prisoners will be released will reenter the community and many will reoffend. Internationally, imprisonment rates continue to rise, compounding the challenge to the criminal justice system that the current system of incarceration and reentry creates. Gaps remain in our understanding of the reentry process and the challenges faced by released prisoners. Previous reentry research has tended to focus on specific issues such as accommodation or employment or have used prisoner interviews as the data source. The gaps in reentry literature are compounded by conflicting definitions of 'successful' reentry. Research was undertaken to examine the definition of 'successful reentry' and to determine the most important variables deemed to affect successful prisoner reentry. Semi structured interviews were conducted with twenty-four stakeholders with a variety of roles in prisoner reentry in Western Australia. Additional data was collected from published government reports, policy documents, research reports and academic literature. The interview findings determined that accommodation, employment, social networks and education and treatment programs were deemed to have the most significant impact on prisoner reentry. One of the most significant findings to emerge is the significance of social networks. This study has found evidence that the value of social networks has been neglected in reentry policy. One of the core issues examined throughout this process was the definition of 'successful reentry'. The term 'successful reentry' requires clarification, alongside elucidation of related goals and measurements. Measures of reentry 'success' need to be developed further or ameliorated by additional criterion as successful reentry is a more complex problem than existing recidivism measures can address. This thesis challenges the existing understanding of the needs of prisoners reentering the community and suggests strategies for improving the reentry process and related outcomes. Future reentry policy needs to give greater weight to the value of social networks and establish mechanisms to facilitate the development and maintenance of these networks, which will in turn, assist prisoners to secure accommodation and employment opportunities.