This dissertation evaluates the feasibility of extending restorative justice to school disciplinary action in South African schools. It considers developments in education and identifies relevant shortcomings before addressing them. The extension of restorative justice to school disciplinary action establishes a new way of thinking that has, until recently, not been applied to civil law. In Dikoko v Mokhatla (2007 (1) BCLR 1 (CC)) honourable justice Sachs ruled that any remedy applied in civil law must aim for the restitution of relationships, rather than punishment of the guilty party. Children are often on unequal footing compared to adults when it comes to prosecution or punishment and consequently they are exposed to excessive punitive measures, as illustrated by the Dey saga (Le Roux and Others v Dey 2011 (3) SA 274 (CC)). The implementation of restorative justice as an alternative to current school disciplinary action may result in limiting these excessive punishments. Because of the universal nature of the subject a comparison will be made to the successful implementation of restorative justice programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The various departments of education in these countries have developed proactive strategies for managing students' behaviour. In New Zealand, schools place particular emphasis on the use of restorative practices, rather than suspension, to ensure the establishment of beneficial learning environments. Furthermore, parents’ and community members' involvement is encouraged by inter alia the National Safe Schools Framework, which has been implemented in Australia since 2003. These countries have long been regarded as leaders in the field of restorative justice. It is of the utmost importance to consider international trends due to the guidance that it can offer school governing bodies in South Africa. The principle of restorative justice has received extensive international support due to various practical tools that have been developed by the above-mentioned countries. Therefore, these tools are considered in order to assist governing bodies in determining the way forward in South African schools. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This dissertation evaluates the feasibility of extending restorative justice to school disciplinary action in South African schools. It considers developments in education and identifies relevant shortcomings before addressing them. The extension of restorative justice to school disciplinary action establishes a new way of thinking that has, until recently, not been applied to civil law. In Dikoko v Mokhatla (2007 (1) BCLR 1 (CC)) honourable justice Sachs ruled that any remedy applied in civil law must aim for the restitution of relationships, rather than punishment of the guilty party. Children are often on unequal footing compared to adults when it comes to prosecution or punishment and consequently they are exposed to excessive punitive measures, as illustrated by the Dey saga (Le Roux and Others v Dey 2011 (3) SA 274 (CC)). The implementation of restorative justice as an alternative to current school disciplinary action may result in limiting these excessive punishments. Because of the universal nature of the subject a comparison will be made to the successful implementation of restorative justice programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The various departments of education in these countries have developed proactive strategies for managing students' behaviour. In New Zealand, schools place particular emphasis on the use of restorative practices, rather than suspension, to ensure the establishment of beneficial learning environments. Furthermore, parents’ and community members' involvement is encouraged by inter alia the National Safe Schools Framework, which has been implemented in Australia since 2003. These countries have long been regarded as leaders in the field of restorative justice. It is of the utmost importance to consider international trends due to the guidance that it can offer school governing bodies in South Africa. The principle of restorative justice has received extensive international support due to various practical tools that have been developed by the above-mentioned countries. Therefore, these tools are considered in order to assist governing bodies in determining the way forward in South African schools. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The title of this mini dissertation is: “The role of the church in respect of restorative justice in the South African criminal justice system: a theological ethical perspective”. The purpose of this study is to investigate the concept of restorative justice from a theological ethical perspective and to see how it is applied in the South African criminal justice system so that it can be determined what role the church can play in this regard. In the South African criminal justice system, the focus has been on the perpetrator and how she/he has come into conflict with the state. The fact that in most crimes, victims are affected by the crime, has traditionally not been taken seriously. In this regard the concept of restorative justice can play a vital role. In the second chapter the concept of restorative justice is explained and it is shown what its relationship to retribution is. Various definitions of restorative justice is then given and it is then shown how restorative justice and the concept of ubuntu are interlinked. In Chapter 3, the role of restorative justice in the South African criminal justice system, is discussed. It is shown that restorative justice is already being implemented at various stages of the criminal justice system and also how the Child Justice Act, Act 75 of 2008, has made restorative justice an essential aspect of the child justice system. It then sets out in Chapter 4 the Biblical basis for restorative justice in both the Old and New Testaments and argues that Biblical justice is essentially restorative in nature. It is pointed out that the foundations of Biblical justice are Shalom, Covenant and Torah. On this basis it is then indicated that Biblical justice is an attribute of God, an object of hope and a primary obligation. It leads to a commitment to action and is a relational reality. Because of this relational aspect, it is then indicated how justice is a restorative activity. The Lex Talionis is then discussed and it is shown how retribution and restoration can walk hand in hand as two sides of the same coin. Jesus and Paul’s understanding of Justice is then discussed. In Jesus’s attitude towards forgiveness and the Lex Talionis, it is shown how the restoration of relationships are of primary concern to him. Paul’s view of Justice is then discussed and it is shown that for him Christ’s death is an act of justice which is driven by his love and therefore also restorative in nature. In the last chapter, the role of the Church in Restorative Justice, is discussed. It is shown how churches can support the Restorative Justice movement and mobilize the community to assist in making restorative justice an integral part of the criminal justice system. Finally, suggestions are made as to how churches (and their members) can get involved with victims and perpetrators of crime. Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Van Rooyen, GHG 2011, Die rol van die Kerk ten aansien van herstellende geregtigheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse strafregstelsel : 'n Teologies-etiese perspektief (Afrikaans), MA(Theol) dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03142012-200732 / > C12/4/811/gm / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

Abstracts in Afrikaans, English and Southern Sotho / Geweld en skoolgeweld veroorsaak ernstige maatskaplike ontwrigting in Suid-Afrika. Die metodes waarmee skoolgeweld tans hanteer word, is oneffektief en meestal op mag en dissipline gegrond. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om alternatiewe benaderings vir die hantering van skoolgeweld te ondersoek en om ʼn implementeringsraamwerk vir ʼn heelskoolbenadering teen skoolgeweld te ontwikkel. Ten einde hierdie doel te bereik, fokus die navorsing, wat binne ʼn aangepaste ekologiese model (AEM) onderneem is, op ʼn konseptuele analise van die aard en inhoud van die konsepte “geweld” en “skoolgeweld”, omdat beide dikwels met konsepte soos “mag” en “dissipline” verwar word. Beide begrippe is multidimensioneel en kom binne al die sfere van die AEM voor. Dit sluit geweld weens verskeie oorsake, soos psigo-biologiese faktore, strukturele geweld en reaksiegeweld in. Skoolgeweld kom eweneens weens verskeie oorsake en in verskillende vorms binne die sfere van die AEM voor. Voorbeelde sluit lyfstraf, boeliegedrag, bendes en strukturele skoolgeweld soos rassisme, die kwaliteit van onderwys en oorvol klasse, in. Die navorsing toon aan dat die wyse waarop skoolgeweld tans in Suid-Afrika hanteer word, onsuksesvol is. Dit word hoofsaaklik by wyse van mag, dissipline en ʼn strafbenadering hanteer, wat meebring dat die verhoudings wat weens die geweld beskadig word of skipbreuk ly, versoening tussen dader en slagoffer verhoed en dat die slagoffer se behoeftes nie in ag geneem word nie. Die wyse waarop skoolgeweld hanteer word, bied ook nie ʼn wyse waarop strukturele skoolgeweld bestuur kan word nie. Een van die alternatiewe wyses waarop skoolgeweld hanteer kan word, is herstellende onderwys. Dit is ʼn betreklik nuwe benadering tot onderwys, wat op herstellende geregtigheid gegrond is, maar ook proaktiewe aktiwiteite insluit. Omdat herstellende onderwys op beginsels soos verhoudings, dialoogvoering, waardegedrewenheid, herstel en versoening gegrond is, kan dit gebruik word om skoolgeweld te beheer. Herstellende onderwys maak van verskillende proaktiewe en reaktiewe metodes gebruik, soos slagoffer-oortrederbemiddeling en groepsgesprekke. Dit fokus op ʼn skoolgemeenskap wat waardegedrewe is, eerder as op oortredings. Herstellende onderwys word egter deur ʼn aantal knelpunte gekniehalter. Die navorsing toon aan dat hierdie knelpunte deur die Freire se benadering tot onderwys ondervang kan word. Freire se benadering tot onderrig word aan die hand van ʼn aantal kernelemente, wat in vyf groepe verdeel is (naamlik sy siening oor mag en bemagtiging, etiesgodsdienstige elemente, bewustheid en aksie, dialoogvoering, onderwyspraktyk en onderwys en die samelewing) hanteer. Die navorsing toon aan dat hierdie elemente gebruik kan word om die leemtes in herstellende onderwys te vul en dat die twee benaderings en ʼn aantal ander benaderings wat daarby aansluit, soos onderwys vir maatskaplike geregtigheid, kritiese pedagogiek en die leerstellings van Mohlomi, tot ʼn geïntegreerde onderwysbenadering – geïntegreerde helende onderwys – saamgevoeg kan word. In die voorlaaste gedeelte van die navorsing word die beginsels van geïntegreerde helende onderwys gebruik om ʼn praktykgerigte implementeringsraamwerk te ontwikkel. Die raamwerk word in twee dele hanteer: eerstens die implementeringsterreine, naamlik die geleerde en geleefde leerplanne, en tweedens die implementeringsproses wat deur middel van deelnemende aksienavorsing uitvoer kan word. Die navorsing sluit af met ʼn opsomming van die navorsing, ʼn uitwysing van die beperkings van die studie en aanbevelings vir verdere ondersoek. / Violence and school violence play havoc with South African society. Current methods to curb school violence depend on power, discipline and a penal approach, and prove to be ineffective. The purpose of this research was to investigate alternative approaches to manage school violence and develop an implementation framework for a whole-school approach to it. This research was conducted according to an integrated ecological model. The concepts “violence” and “school violence” were analysed as they are often confused with the concepts “power” and “discipline”. The former pair of concepts are multidimensional and present in all spheres of the integrated ecological model. They include individual violence, group violence and structural violence. School violence manifests in different forms, including bullies and gangs. This research differentiates between controllable school violence – which is within the school community’s sphere of influence – and manageable school violence – which originates outside the school community. The research indicates that the ways in which school violence is currently addressed do not consider damaged relationships because of violence, reconciliation between the perpetrator and the victim, and the needs of the victim. In addition, they do not contribute to the management of structural school violence. Restorative education is a recent approach based on restorative justice and includes proactive activities. Because it is value-driven and grounded on relationships, dialogue, restoration and reconciliation, it can be of great use in the fight against school violence. Restorative education includes both proactive and reactive methods such as victim-offender mediation and group discussions. It focuses on a value-driven school community rather than infringements. However, restorative education has certain deficiencies. This research indicates that they can be made good thanks to Freire’s approach to education. Freire’s approach to education comprise a number of key elements, which can be divided into five groups, viz his views on power and empowerment; ethical-religious elements; consciousness and action; dialogue; educational practice; and education and the community. The research indicates that these elements can compensate for the deficiencies in restorative education. Freire’s approach and a number of connected approaches such as education for social justice, critical pedagogy and the doctrines of Mohlomi, can be combined in an integrated approach to education, referred to as integrated healing education. In the penultimate part of the research, the principles of integrated healing education are utilised to develop a practice-orientated implementation framework. The framework is discussed in two sections: the fields of implementation, viz the learned and lived curricula, and the implementation process through action research. The research concludes with a summary, limitations of the study, and recommendations. / Tirisodikgoka le tirisodikgoka ya kwa sekolong di baka tlhakatlhakano mo baaging ba Aforikaborwa. Mekgwa ya ga jaana ya go fedisa dikhuduego e ikaegile ka dithata, maitsholo a a siameng le molebo wa kotlhao, mme go bonala e sa nonofa. Maikemisetso a patlisiso eno e ne e le go batlisisa melebo e e farologaneng ya go samagana le tirisodikgoka ya kwa sekolong le go tlhama letlhomeso la tsenyotirisong la molebo wa sekolo sotlhe go samagana nayo. Patlisiso e dirilwe go ya ka sekao se se golaganeng sa ikholoji. Go lokolotswe megopolo ya "tirisodikgoka" le "tirisodikgoka ya kwa sekolong" ka ntlha ya fa gantsi e tlhakatlhakanngwa le megopolo ya "dithata" le "maitsholo a a siameng". Sebedi sa ntlha sa megopolo se dintlhadintsi mme di gona mo magatong otlhe a sekao se se golaganeng sa ikholoji. Se akaretsa tirisodikgoka ya batho bongwe ka bongwe, tirisodikgoka ya setlhopha le tirisodikgoka e e rulaganeng. Tirisodikgoka ya kwa dikolong e tlhagelela ka dipopego tse di farologaneng, go akaretsa badipisi le digongwana. Patlisiso eno e farologanya magareng ga tirisodikgoka e e laolegang ya kwa dikolong – e e mo legatong la tlhotlheletso la mo sekolong – le tirisodikgoka e e tsamaisegang kwa dikolong – e e tswang kwa ntle ga sekolo. Patlisiso e bontsha gore ditsela tse go samaganwang le tirisodikgoka ya kwa dikolong ka yona ga jaana ga di lebelele dikamano tse di senyegang ka ntlha ya tirisodikgoka, poelano magareng ga modiri le motshwasetlhabelo, le ditlhokego tsa motswasetlhabelo. Go tlaleletsa foo, ga di tshwaele mo tsamaisong ya tirisodikgoka ya kwa dikolong e e rulagantsweng. Molebo wa pusetso ke molebo wa fa gautshwane o o theilweng mo bosiamising jwa pusetso mme o akaretsa ditiragatso tsa pele ga tiragalo. Gonne o tsamaisiwa ke dintlhatheo mme o theilwe mo dikamanong, dipuisano, pusetso le poelano, o ka nna mosola thata mo ntweng kgatlhanong le tirisodikgoka ya kwa dikolong. Thuto ya pusetso e akaretsa mekgwa ya pele ga tiragalo le ya go tsibogela tiragalo e tshwana le tsereganyo ya motswasetlhabelo-molatofadiwa le dipuisano tsa ditlhopha. E tota baamegi ba sekolo ba ba laolwang ke dintlhatheo go na le tlolomolao. Le gale, thuto ya pusetso e na le makoanyana a a rileng. Thutopatlisiso eno e bontsha gore a ka baakanngwa ka molebo wa ga Freire wa thuto. Molebo wa ga Friere wa thuto o na le dikarolo di le mmalwa tsa botlhokwa, tse di ka aroganngwang ka ditlhopha tse tlhano, e leng, megopolo ya gagwe malebana le dithata le maatlafatso; dintlha tsa maitsholo-tumelo; temogo le tiragatso; puisano; tiragatso ya thuto; le thuto le baagi. Patlisiso e bontsha gore dintlha tseno di ka emela makoa a a mo thutong ya pusetso. Molebo wa ga Freire le melebo e mengwe e le mmalwa e e golaganeng e tshwana le thuto ya tshiamiso ya loago, thuto e e rutang barutwana go sekaseka dithata le kgatelelo le ditumelo tsa ga Mohlomi, di ka kopanngwa mo molebong o o golaganeng wa thuto, o o bidiwang thuto e e golaganeng e e alafang. Mo karolong ya pele ga ya bofelo ya patlisiso, go dirisiwa dintlhatheo tsa thuto e e golaganeng e e alafang go tlhama letlhomeso la tsenyotirisong le le theilweng mo tiragatsong. Letlhomeso le tlhalosiwa mo dikarolong tse pedi: lephata la tsenyotirisong, e leng kharikhulamo e e ithutilweng le e e tshetsweng, le tirego ya tsenyotirisong ka patlisiso ya tiragatso. Patlisiso e konosetsa ka tshobokanyo, ditekanyetso tsa thutopatlisiso, le dikatlenegiso. / Educational Foundations / Ph. D. (Philosophy of Education)