No description available.

The World Prison Brief Walmsley (2001:2) reveals that there are 8,7 million people held in penal institutions throughout the world, either as pre-trial detainees or having been convicted and sentenced. Although the rising prison population in South Africa is of great concern, it is certainly not just a South African problem, but an international phenomenon. Prison overcrowding and the resultant financial and human rights problems related to this phenomenon, remain one of the paramount concerns of both developed and developing countries. Overcrowding of prisons negates the rehabilitation of offenders, undermines human dignity in correctional facilities and renders the safety and security of offenders and the community vulnerable. Another problem facing the Department of Correctional Services is the control of communicable diseases and viruses, particularly HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. The problem of overcrowding facilitates the easy spread of communicable diseases among inmates. Imprisonment as a sanction remains a reality. Providing alternatives to imprisonment, for example, community based-sanctions, does however ensure that a significant number of offenders can be dealt with in a more balanced manner. Alternative sanctions to incarceration can be more successful, less costly to the state, have fewer negative implications and will lighten the load for the criminal justice system, hence reducing overcrowding. In order to reduce the overcrowding in prisons there has to be a reduction in the number of both awaiting-trial and sentenced prisoners. Reducing the inflow of offenders from the courts to the prisons and trying to get minor offenders in prison to be released should accomplish this. Courts and magistrates must break away from centuries of reliance on imprisonment as punishment. If more people show interest in the human rights of incarcerated prisoners, then further effort will be placed on resolving the overpopulation problem facing the Department of Correctional Services. / Criminology / (D. Litt et Phil.(Penology))

Incarceration of offenders has been relied upon as the dominant sentence option through the years to address the objectives of punishment. Research has shown that the above-mentioned approach does not match the current lifestyle anymore. Correctional centres (prisons) not only in South Africa, but across the board are faced with the same challenge. This is of course not a problem of the Department of Correctional Services alone, but that of the entire justice system. It is therefore obligatory for Justice to join hands with society in accordance with the White Paper on Corrections in South Africa (2005:63-68). Playing a major role in all above-mentioned bodies is Parliament, without which the whole justice system would not exist, let alone functioning. The victims of crime would most probably not condone any soft approach towards treating offenders, worse with alleviating overpopulation by releasing inmates from correctional centres. It is the researcher's submission that the effects of overpopulation coupled with inmate's human rights, as entrenched in the Constitution becomes the major driving force to address overcrowding in our correctional centres. / Penelogy / (M.A. (Penelogy))

Incarceration of offenders has been relied upon as the dominant sentence option through the years to address the objectives of punishment. Research has shown that the above-mentioned approach does not match the current lifestyle anymore. Correctional centres (prisons) not only in South Africa, but across the board are faced with the same challenge. This is of course not a problem of the Department of Correctional Services alone, but that of the entire justice system. It is therefore obligatory for Justice to join hands with society in accordance with the White Paper on Corrections in South Africa (2005:63-68). Playing a major role in all above-mentioned bodies is Parliament, without which the whole justice system would not exist, let alone functioning. The victims of crime would most probably not condone any soft approach towards treating offenders, worse with alleviating overpopulation by releasing inmates from correctional centres. It is the researcher's submission that the effects of overpopulation coupled with inmate's human rights, as entrenched in the Constitution becomes the major driving force to address overcrowding in our correctional centres. / Penelogy / (M.A. (Penelogy))

The World Prison Brief Walmsley (2001:2) reveals that there are 8,7 million people held in penal institutions throughout the world, either as pre-trial detainees or having been convicted and sentenced. Although the rising prison population in South Africa is of great concern, it is certainly not just a South African problem, but an international phenomenon. Prison overcrowding and the resultant financial and human rights problems related to this phenomenon, remain one of the paramount concerns of both developed and developing countries. Overcrowding of prisons negates the rehabilitation of offenders, undermines human dignity in correctional facilities and renders the safety and security of offenders and the community vulnerable. Another problem facing the Department of Correctional Services is the control of communicable diseases and viruses, particularly HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. The problem of overcrowding facilitates the easy spread of communicable diseases among inmates. Imprisonment as a sanction remains a reality. Providing alternatives to imprisonment, for example, community based-sanctions, does however ensure that a significant number of offenders can be dealt with in a more balanced manner. Alternative sanctions to incarceration can be more successful, less costly to the state, have fewer negative implications and will lighten the load for the criminal justice system, hence reducing overcrowding. In order to reduce the overcrowding in prisons there has to be a reduction in the number of both awaiting-trial and sentenced prisoners. Reducing the inflow of offenders from the courts to the prisons and trying to get minor offenders in prison to be released should accomplish this. Courts and magistrates must break away from centuries of reliance on imprisonment as punishment. If more people show interest in the human rights of incarcerated prisoners, then further effort will be placed on resolving the overpopulation problem facing the Department of Correctional Services. / Criminology and Security Science / (D. Litt et Phil.(Penology))

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the extent to which registered nurses’ practice was affected by emergency department overcrowding. Participants were recruited from a tertiary hospital by using the purpose sampling method. Data collection was done using a semi-structured interview guide. Individual interviews were conducted with eight registered nurses working in the paediatric emergency department. Data analysis was conducted using thematic content analysis and Yin’s (2003:178) five-phase cycle. The study findings revealed that the lack of professional nurse leadership and the difficult existing relationship with the physicians were obstacles that had to be obviated if the paediatric ED were to function optimally and best practice were to be achieved. It was revealed that a problematic issue in the setting was that the most critical decisions on allocating where patients should be treated were made by physicians who have more authority than nurses. It was recommended that the ED need to be clearly defined in the policies as an outpatient, emergency care or as an episodic patient care area as “Admission” can mean admission to the ED or admission as an inpatient/boarded patient. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

No description available.

Existing studies of household overcrowding in Sweden are often descriptive and examine patterns at a large scale. Levels of overcrowding have increased since the mid-1980s and the highest shares are found in the largest cities among residents with a low income, a migration background, living in rental apartments, and often with children. The aim of this thesis is to increase the understanding of the measurements of household overcrowding, its development over time, its spatial patterns and its determinants at a small-scale neighborhood level with application to the City of Stockholm. It examines how the associations between overcrowding and other neighborhood characteristics can be understood in different neighborhood settings and what the implications are of using different scales and definitions of overcrowding. Cluster, correlation and regression analyses have been conducted using administrative data aggregated to key code areas and city districts. The results demonstrate that there are two types of overcrowding within the City of Stockholm, which are spatially separated and associated differently with socio-economic, demographic and housing characteristics of neighborhoods. It is suggested that explanatory segregation theories related to preference and economic and discriminatory structures are needed to understand the uneven spatial distribution of overcrowding in the City of Stockholm.

The present thesis utilises dynamic time warping and cluster analysis with the aim of discovering different touristic profiles. GPS data of cruise passengers intra-destination movement at the destination of Visby, Gotland, was used in the analysis. Further stop detection was performed so as to compare stop activity and stop allocation between the clusters. Four tourist profiles were derived by juxtaposing the category of attractions/areas where high stop densities were found, with the spatial dispersal of stop activity, denoted as either exhibiting a concentrated or exploring pattern. Some key influencers of tourists' spatio-temporal behaviour were also identified. These included whether the cruise passengers appeared to have taken some mode of transportation upon their on-shore visit, whether the area was dense in activities/facilities oriented towards tourists and the time spent at the destination. The contribution of this thesis is twofold. First this thesis contributes to previous research by developing and testing a methodological approach utilising dynamic time warping to investigate cruise passengers' spatio-temporal behaviour at a destination. Second, the results of the thesis may aid destination managers in finding tools and strategies that are tailored after the unique opportunities and challenges posed by different tourist profiles.

This dissertation employs management systems engineering principles, data science, and industrial systems engineering techniques to address pressing challenges in emergency department (ED) efficiency, infectious disease management at mass gatherings, and student self-efficacy. It is structured into three essays, each contributing to a distinct domain of research, and utilizes industrial and systems engineering approaches to provide data-driven insights and recommend solutions. The first essay used data analytics and regression analysis to understand how patient length of stay (LOS) in EDs could be influenced by multi-level variables integrating patient, service, and organizational factors. The findings suggested that specific demographic variables, the complexity of service provided, and staff-related variables significantly impacted LOS, offering guidance for operational improvements and better resource allocation. The second essay utilized system dynamics simulations to develop a modified SEIR model for modeling infectious diseases during mass gatherings and assessing the effectiveness of commonly implemented policies. The results demonstrated the significant collective impact of interventions such as visitor limits, vaccination mandates, and mask wearing, emphasizing their role in preventing health crises. The third essay applied machine learning methods to predict student self-efficacy in Muslim societies, revealing the importance of socio-emotional traits, cognitive abilities, and regulatory competencies. It provided a basis for identifying students with varying levels of self-efficacy and developing tailored strategies to enhance their academic and personal success. Collectively, these essays underscore the value of data-driven and evidence-based decision- making. The dissertation's broader impact lies in its contribution to optimizing healthcare operations, informing public health policy, and shaping educational strategies to be more culturally sensitive and psychologically informed. It provides a roadmap for future research and practical applications across the healthcare, public health, and education sectors, fostering advancements that could significantly benefit society. / Doctor of Philosophy / Divided into three essays, this dissertation uses industrial and systems engineering and data science to help make emergency departments more efficient, manage the spread of diseases at large events, and predict students' belief in their abilities. The first essay investigates factors that influence how long patients stay in emergency departments, including patient demographics, triage level, the complexity of care they receive, and number of emergency department staff when patient arrived. The essay offers suggestions to improve these services and better manage resources. The second essay models the spread of COVID-19 during the Hajj, a religious mass gathering, and evaluates the effectiveness of three safety measures: limiting the number of attendees, vaccinations, and wearing masks. This essay shows how different strategies can work together to prevent outbreaks. The third essay uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand what affects Muslim students' confidence in their abilities, focusing on emotional intelligence, thinking skills, and self-discipline. The findings could help to identify students who need extra support and to create more personalized programs that will help them succeed. Overall, this dissertation contributes to advancing industrial and systems engineering and data science knowledge by addressing complex issues in healthcare, public health, and education, leading to more informed decisions and better strategies. Its broader impact includes improving hospital operations, guiding public health decisions, and helping develop educational programs and interventions that consider cultural and psychological factors.