Title from title screen (viewed April 17,2010). / "March 2010." "The Harlem Parole Reentry Court was established in June of 2001 in response to the high concentration of parolees returning to the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. Created by the Center for Court Innovation in cooperation with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Division of Parole, the Reentry Court provides intensive judicial oversight, supervision and services to new parolees during the first six months following release from state prison. The goal of the program is to stabilize returning parolees in the initial phase of their reintegration by helping them to find jobs, secure housing, remain drug-free and assume familial and personal responsibilties. Following graduation, participants are transferred to traditional parole supervision, where they may continue to receive case management services voluntarily through the Reentry Court." -- Executive summary. "The Reentry Court seems to have had a positive effect with regard to preventing new crimes as measured by rearrests and reconvictions. However, participants were found to have higher rates of revocations. In particular, program participants were more likely to be revoked for technical violations of parole conditions. Given the lower caseload and greater intensity of the program, it is assumed that :"supervision effects" are partially responsible for the higher rate of technical violations. In other words, the Harlem Parole Reentry Court may be detecting violations that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. This suggests that reentry courts may want to explore enhancing the use of alternative sanctions in lieu of revocation. Furthermore, reentry courts should explore the possibility of providing greater feedback to parole officers and case managers, making them aware of potential unintended consequences when supervision is increased." -- Executive summary. Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-40).

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Bowling Green State University, 2009. / Document formatted into pages; contains x, 146 p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Also available in print.

The grounded theory method is used to generate a theory of leaving crime (“going straight”) from 24 women and men who were interviewed for this study. The main concern for ex-offenders is the degree to which residuals of a stigmatized, past self can be transcended. This residual self is comprised of three interrelated phenomena: i) the visible evidence pointing to a disreputable past, ii) the remnants of disreputable character traits, thinking patterns and emotional states which persist into the present, and iii) the social interactions which stigmatize ex-offenders. Ten of the research respondents are “hardcore” ex-offenders because their former immersion in criminal identities left residuals that are more apparent or knowable to others. The other 14 have criminal identities that were transient, or limited in time and the extent to which they subscribed to criminal values. For both types of offenders, a self-crisis preceded the decision to go straight. Ex-offenders import an exculpatory conversation from helping others that interprets their past harms as the result of the disease of addiction, early childhood trauma, or as lives unfolding within some greater plan by God or fortune. Hardcore offenders seek enveloping forms of help which occupy their ongoing daily consciousness and routines, whereas transient criminal offenders use help for transitory and pragmatic ends. The more that a past, residual self is knowable to others and subjectively problematic, the greater the difficulty that ex-offenders will have negotiating their stigmatized identity. An ongoing process of interpreting and negotiating one’s identity with self and others lies at the core of going straight. The outcome of going straight is credentials which consist of clean time, official pardons for criminal records, amends made with others or society in general, the performance of good works, and most importantly, making distinctions between who I was and who I am. The self presented today is an authentic one, unlike the criminal identity which they now see in retrospect as inauthentic. The degree to which a residual self remains with ex-offenders varies, with hardcore ex-offenders more likely to show or report signs and traits which can be stigmatized by evaluative audiences. However, it is also apparent that the residual self can be used for pragmatic and credentializing purposes, especially when one’s current identity is linked to who one was in the past. The problem of the residual self is differentially negotiated through culturally endorsed narratives of reform. To the degree that ex-offenders discriminate who I was from who I am in familiar stories of change, the greater will be their success in resolving the problems of the residual self. The theory of the residual self fits with recent findings in developmental theories in criminology, and offers optimism about the possibilities for change in adulthood criminal pathways suggested by life-course theories. This study, and others like it, can help promote a wider discourse to counter the “once a con, always a con” thinking which stigmatizes ex-offenders. / Graduate

Thesis(M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / The study explored recidivism as a lived experience among the youth incarcerated at Polokwane Secure Care Centre in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. The study focused on describing the subjective meanings that recidivist youth attach to their behaviour and established what the youth consider to be the causes of their recidivist behaviour. Furthermore, the study explored what the youth perceive as possible interventions to reduce recidivism. A total of six participants (all males; aged between 16 and 18) were selected using the purposive sampling method. Data were collected using semi structured interviews. Thematic analysis method was used to analyse the data. The six major themes that emerged during data analysis were; a) labelling; b) peer pressure; c) substance abuse; d) socialisation; e) conduct disorder; and f) self discipline and constructive activities. The findings of the study suggest that various factors contribute to recidivism including the use of substances; parenting styles as well as peer pressure. Furthermore, the findings showed that behavioural problems including criminal behaviour in the youth, may be due to being labelled as a criminal or Conduct Disorder. The findings further suggest the influence the environment has on the youth, and how being socialised in an environment that emphasises a fancy lifestyle may contribute to the youth engaging in criminal activities to meet the standards of that particular environment. The findings further suggest that self discipline and of constructive activities may help to reduce recidivism among the youth. The study is concluded by, among others, recommending that psychological services be widely available to communities which will allow the youth to have easy access to such services. This may assist them in dealing with issues such as their experiences within the households (such as abuse) and how to better manage/ control their emotions as opposed to responding aggressively.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The study is a critical analysis from a feminist pastoral care perspective in rehabilitating female ex-prisoners in Zimbabwe. The central research question that the study focused on is: “In what ways can the understanding of the praxis of feminist pastoral care facilitate the rehabilitation of female ex-prisoners for their integration into the Zimbabwean society?” This empirical qualitative study was facilitated through feminist methods to excavate the lived experiences and perceptions of female ex-prisoners and prisoners, which were analysed through three theories. These theories were: feminist theological anthropology which provided the view male and female as equals before God; feminist cultural hermeneutics which assisted in recognising that culture and religion have a significant influence in shaping women’s identity and experiences, especially in the African context and in particular Zimbabwe; and feminist pastoral care which highlighted that all human beings are entitled to care and dignity and that in view of the pervasive gender injustice, it is essential for women to receive nurturing or support, liberation and empowerment during the pastoral care-giving process. Field research was undertaken to collect the narratives of female ex-prisoners and prisoners so as to get a fuller picture of their perceptions and experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-eight female ex-prisoners and prisoners. The research findings highlighted central themes that emerged about how the participants perceived themselves, society and God. This data thus represented the subjective reality of the women. Their objective reality was ascertained by examining the gendered identity of women in Zimbabwe, and how this identity has been shaped by patriarchal aspects of religion and culture. The impact of these constructed identities on the lives of women in Zimbabwe is most evident in the areas of education, employment, health, access to resources and family life. The purpose of this study was to identify the rehabilitation needs of female ex-prisoners in Zimbabwe. To achieve this, an examination of the current theories of rehabilitation was conducted, followed by a critical gendered analysis thereof, employing the three theories vii | P a g e underpinning this study. The theories of rehabilitation revealed wide gender disparities and to address this, an African feminist pastoral care theory of rehabilitation was proposed. Using this proposed theory, current rehabilitation programmes, with special focus on those working with African women prisoners and ex-prisoners in Zimbabwe, while also making reference to those in South Africa, were then interrogated. Following on from this, a gender-sensitive programme of rehabilitation was put forward, which took into account first, the subjective experiences of the female ex- prisoners and prisoners of this study; second, the objective reality of Zimbabwean women’s daily lives; and third, the main features of current faith-based programmes and where these fall short in terms of the proposed African feminist pastoral care theory of rehabilitation. The rehabilitation programme that emerged from this process is of potential use to faith- based organisations and chaplains working with African women inmates and released prisoners. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.