Includes bibliography. / The researcher's knowledge and experience in probation work, including conducting pre-sentence investigations and compiling pre-trial and presentence reports, inspired him to want to find out more about the attitudes and sentencing practices of magistrates and public prosecutors, specifically in housebreaking offences. Some individuals and communities hold a notion that offenders normally break into properties and steal goods or items mainly because they are hungry, destitute, unemployed, or have no visible means of income. Such a belief may, to a large extent, influence or shape judicial attitudes in the sentencing of youth offenders for housebreaking crimes.

Bibliography: leaves 82-87. / The aim of the present study is to assess the level of learners' exposure to gang violence and their participation in high-risk behaviour in and outside of a selected secondary school in the Western Cape. The study was exploratory and a self-report questionnaire - 'School Safety Survey' devised by Cornell and Loper of the Virginia University School Project, appropriately modified to fit the South African context was employed to gather qualitative and quantitative data. Disproportional stratified sampling was employed to select the initial sample of 125 learners because the race, grade and gender subgroups varied with regard to the proportion of their members appearing in the study population, but only a total ofll21earners attended school and participated in the study on the day. Even though the survey was administered to 112 learners, the researcher only retained 97 surveys that had complete data on all variables. In this study descriptive statistics are used to analyse the demographic details of the final sample population. The chi-square test was used to determine if there are significant differences in learners' exposure to gang and non-gang violence and their participation in high-risk behaviours in and outside of school. The two factors that were considered to potentially impact on the scores obtained for these categories are Grade and Gender. The survey results identified that in general, the observed frequency of learners' exposure to gang and non-gang violence was relatively higher outside of school than their exposure to gang and non-gang violence in school. Moreover, there were also no statistically significant grade and/or gender differences in learners' overall exposure to gang and non-gang violence in and/or outside of school at 95% confidence level (p = 0.05). In addition the observed frequency of learners' overall participation or endorsement of high-risk behaviour was relatively higher outside of school than in school. There were also no statistically significant grade and gender differences in learners' overall participation in high-risk behaviour in school at 95% confidence level (p=0.05) but there were significant gender differences in learner's participation in high-risk behaviour outside of school. In response to the findings a number of recommendations are made to stabilise and develop the school infrastructure, taking particular cognisance of the physical resources required for making the school a safer environment. In addition, it was proposed that educators create opportunities to develop leadership within the pupil body and introduce age-appropriate life skills and empowerment workshops to address the difficulties that these learners may experience.

Includes bibliographical references. / The aim of this study is to detennine the experiences of NICRO volunteers and diversion workers in the implementation of the YES programme as a diversion option in the Western Cape. This stems from the need to examine the current practice of diversion services in anticipation of the implementation of the Child Justice Bill (Bill 49 of 2002). The implementation of this Bill will have far-reaching repercussions for diversion service providers as it will mean an increase in demand for diversion services and the implementation of minimum standards for such services. A qualitative, evaluative research design was used for this cross-sectional study. The population of NICRO diversion workers in the Western Cape and a sample of volunteers from each of the NICRO offices in the Western Cape were included in the study. Individual interviews were conduded with the volunteers in their respective towns across the Western Cape using an interview schedule. Two focus group sessions were held with the diversion workers. Audio recordings were made of the interviews with volunteers and of the focus group sessions. The transcripts were then analysed for trends, themes and categories. The results were compiled and conclusions drawn. Volunteers and diversion workers generally experienced the YES programme as being positive and making a difference to the lives of participants. The volunteers derived personal satisfaction from facilitating programmes and receiving positive feedback from parents and participants alike. They faced a number of challenges, though, when facilitating the programme. Examples of such problems are with diversity of language, culture, age and educational levels within groups and the lack of co-operation of parents and resistant participants. These challenges volunteers faced with the assistance and guidance of the diversion workers and drawing on their own strengths and capacities.

The qualitative study was conducted, within the judicial and social welfare system. Using convenience sampling (non-probability), magistrates, prosecutors and probation officers were specifically targeted to ascertain to what extend participants were currently implementing the approach of restorative justice in the sentencing of young offenders. Data was collected from charge sheets with regard to sentence remarks and the type of crime committed, and served as proof of implementation of such an approach. The study also explores the knowledge of these three professional groups with regard to restorative justice and their attitudes towards its implementation.

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Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984.