Children detained in juvenile detention centers in the United States are a unique population. They are neither incarcerated, nor are they free to live in society. Although some popular literature does exist on juvenile detention, such literature is minimal. Further, there are few research studies on this population in any field of inquiry. Indeed the entire subject of juvenile detention has been largely overlooked by research scientists, as well as theologians. The focus of this empirical study is the theology and spirituality of children in a single juvenile detention center in New Jersey, US. Currently, there are no studies on this topic. This study begins to address that void and represents the first theological research of its kind on this population. The methodological approach of the thesis is multi-disciplinary. While the study addresses theology and spirituality as separate categories, it also integrates theology with research in psychology and clinical mental health. The project itself consists of 200 individual, face-to-face interviews with male juvenile residents detained in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, Toms River, New Jersey, US. An original questionnaire has been developed by the author as a research tool. This empirical research adds to the academic literature on children in juvenile detention centers in the United States and recommends ways that staff may communicate with children to begin a theological dialogue. Further, this thesis offers a specific methodology and research tool to be duplicated for use in other juvenile detention centers toward working with children in a concrete, evidence-based, spiritual context. v This study also includes a chapter on the evolution of the author’s spirituality and theology in the course of the project and attempts to locate the self of the researcher within the study. Finally, this thesis presents an outline for a new hermeneutic in working with children in a juvenile detention setting. This new approach represents a practical step toward bridging an existing gap between a stated need for a new hermeneutic for working with children in theological literature and its inception. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

Thesis (MEd (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / During his presidency, Mr Nelson Mandela could not emphasise enough the rights of children and the conditions of children and youth in detention. In his first opening speech of Parliament in 1994 he made it quite clear that the rights of children had to be prioritised. In May 1995, a year after the Government of National Unity came into power, Mr Mandela recommended that an Inter-Ministerial Committee for Youth at Risk should be appointed to draft an improved system for Child and Youth Care. With regard to children who are guilty of lawlessness, drug abuse, gangsterism and juvenile delinquency, Places of Safety occupy an important position in the South African education system. In this research I conclude that the biggest stumbling block for the effective application of moral education in Places of Safety could be attributed to the fact that children admitted to these places are hardened street children. They form a sub-culture on their own, who could easily be influenced by the group of whom they are part. The multi-disciplinary teams who are responsible for the moral education of these learners are not always adequately trained to handle their tasks effectively, and do not always realise the necessity thereof. The limited time that these learners/children spend at Places of Safety also has an influence on the effective application of their moral education. The programmes at Places of Safety are specifically designed to support the regeneration of morality for children who stray from accepted social norms and values of society. The National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO) has support structures in the community in places which support children and youth, who are guilty of unacceptable social behaviour, such as violent crimes, house burglary and rape. One may refer to support structures as diversion programmes, and they are managed by NICRO to support institutions that are currently working with persons in conflict with the law.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gedoen om die opvoedkundige ondersteuning wat leerders in spesiale jeugsorgsentrums in die Wes-Kaap ontvang te ondersoek, deur gebruik te maak van ’n kwalitatiewenavorsingsontwerp en binne ’n interpretatiewe paradigma te werk. Hierdie studie het ook die belewenisse van manlike jeugoortreders ten opsigte van hul opvoedkundige ervaring binne die rehabilitasiekonteks ondersoek. Die populasie vir die studie was oortreders in ’n spesiale jeugsorgsentrum – ’n onderwysinrigting waartoe jeugdiges deur die hof gevonnis word indien hulle herhaaldelik by misdaad betrokke is. Die navorsing het uitgelig dat die jeugoortreders in die studiepopulasie ’n lang geskiedenis van aanhouding het; dat hulle voorheen in ’n inrigting van die Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling, ’n gevangenis van die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste en ’n spesiale jeugsentrum van die Departement van Onderwys aangehou is. Die betekenisvolheid hiervan is dat dit toon hoe gefragmenteer dienste aan jeugdige oortreders gelewer word. Daar was baie onderbrekings in die deelnemers se opvoedkundige pad, asook verwydering van die gesins- en gemeenskapslewe. Verder wil dit voorkom of geen departement aanspreeklikheid aanvaar het vir die rehabilitasie van die jeugdiges nie, aangesien hulle heen en weer tussen die inrigtings van die verskillende departemente geskuif is. Daar moet beter samewerking en skakeling wees tussen alle departemente wat betrokke is by jeugoortreders en die implimentering van programme moet effektief gemonitor en gereeld geëvalueer word. Programme moet gereeld hersien en konstant aangepas word om sodoende die lewensvatbaarheid van die programme en inrigtings te bepaal. Jeugdiges in jeugsentrums is nie ’n homogene groep nie en kom uit verskillende agtergronde met diverse opvoedingsbehoeftes waarin voorsien moet word. Die jeugdiges het ook hul opvoedkundige behoeftes verwoord en dit het beroepsvaardighede, sosiale en morele ontwikkeling ingesluit. Verder is die redes ondersoek waarom die jeugdiges aanhoudend betrokke bly by misdaad. Hulle het aangevoer dat dit as gevolg van portuurdruk, dwelms en armoede is. Die jeugdiges het ook voorstelle van alternatiewe programme en ondersteuning gemaak. Volgens hulle moet dit insluiting in die gemeenskap, positiewe vryetydsbesteding, erkenning deur ander en weerbaarheid behels. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was done to investigate the educational support that learners receive at a special youth centre in the Western Cape, by making use of a qualitative research design and working within an interpretive paradigm. This study also investigated the experiences of male youth offenders with regard to education within the rehabilitation context. The study population were young offenders in a special youth centre, which is an educational institution where young offenders are being sentenced to after being repeatedly involved in crime. The research revealed that the youth offenders of the study population have a long history of detention; that they were held in an institution of the Department of Social Development, the prison of the Department of Correctional Services and special youth centres of the Department of Education. This finding is significant because it shows the fragmentation of services that are delivered to youth offenders. There was a lot of interruption along the participants’ educational pathway, as well as removal from family and community life. Furthermore, it would appear that no department accepted responsibility for the rehabilitation of the youths, because they were moved back and forth between the institutions of the different departments. There should be better collaboration and liaising between departments that are involved with young offenders and the implementation of programmes should be monitored effectively and evaluated regularly. Programmes should also be reviewed regularly and constantly adjusted to establish whether is the programmes and institutions are sustainable. The youth in youth centres are not a homogenous group and come from different backgrounds with diverse educational needs that should be met. The youths also voiced their educational needs, which included workplace skills, social and moral development. Furthermore, the reasons why the youths continue to be involved in crime were investigated. They said that it was because of peer pressure, drugs and poverty. The youths also made suggestions of alternative programmes and support. According to them it should entail inclusion in the community, positive free-time spending, recognition by others and resilience.

Typescript (Photocopy) Bibliography: leaves 200-206.

MA (Youth in Development) / Institute for Gender and Youth Studies / This research was conducted in the Thohoyandou Correctional Centre within the Female/Juvenile place found in the Thulamela Municipality in the Vhembe District. It is approximately 200km to the north of Limpopo Provincial capital of Polokwane. It focuses on finding out factors that influence offenders to re-offend again, investigate recidivism among youth offenders and identify some of the problems relating to recidivism. The research consisted of juvenile offenders incarcerated in the Thohoyandou Correctional Centre within the juvenile area. Both groups of sentenced male and female juveniles participated in the study. The research used non-probability sampling. Purposive sampling was used to gather information within the Thohoyandou Correctional Centre. The research used interviews and focus group interviews as methods of collecting data. The interviews were conducted using English and Tshivenda then the responses were translated from Tshivenda to English. The researcher interviewed young offenders who have offended and re-offended. The researcher used grounded theory as a method to analyse data. This method helped the researcher to generate theory from the data collected

Children detained in juvenile detention centers in the United States are a unique population. They are neither incarcerated, nor are they free to live in society. Although some popular literature does exist on juvenile detention, such literature is minimal. Further, there are few research studies on this population in any field of inquiry. Indeed the entire subject of juvenile detention has been largely overlooked by research scientists, as well as theologians. The focus of this empirical study is the theology and spirituality of children in a single juvenile detention center in New Jersey, US. Currently, there are no studies on this topic. This study begins to address that void and represents the first theological research of its kind on this population. The methodological approach of the thesis is multi-disciplinary. While the study addresses theology and spirituality as separate categories, it also integrates theology with research in psychology and clinical mental health. The project itself consists of 200 individual, face-to-face interviews with male juvenile residents detained in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, Toms River, New Jersey, US. An original questionnaire has been developed by the author as a research tool. This empirical research adds to the academic literature on children in juvenile detention centers in the United States and recommends ways that staff may communicate with children to begin a theological dialogue. Further, this thesis offers a specific methodology and research tool to be duplicated for use in other juvenile detention centers toward working with children in a concrete, evidence-based, spiritual context. v This study also includes a chapter on the evolution of the author’s spirituality and theology in the course of the project and attempts to locate the self of the researcher within the study. Finally, this thesis presents an outline for a new hermeneutic in working with children in a juvenile detention setting. This new approach represents a practical step toward bridging an existing gap between a stated need for a new hermeneutic for working with children in theological literature and its inception. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)