Individuals presenting with high levels of psychopathy demonstrate chronic and severe antisocial behavior and poor treatment outcomes in response to generalized rehabilitative programs. Recent research has examined the relationship between delinquency in child/adolescent populations and subsequent psychopathy. Focusing on community based/referred population of at-risk youth, this study developed and examined the effectiveness of an 18-session, psychopathy-focused, group CBT treatment program. The study incorporated treatment (n = 34) and usual-care comparison (n = 30) groups and a brief follow up period. Treatment outcomes examined measures of psychopathy, anger, impulsivity, motivation for treatment, self-reported problems, and indices of behavior. The treatment program demonstrated reductions in psychopathy on the Interpersonal (d = .55) and Affective facets (d = .24) of the PCL:YV. It also reduced overall impulsivity and improved anger suppression and treatment motivation, particularly among youth presenting with higher levels (relative to this study) of psychopathy. As a result of treatment, decreased incidents with the juvenile justice system were also observed, both during the treatment period and at six weeks follow-up. This study provides an initial empirical foundation for the ongoing development of targeted interventions for youth demonstrating psychopathic traits.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This research study focused on wilderness-based interventions utilised within two, pilot (four-month) diversion rehabilitation programmes in 2006. Participants were at-risk youth, aged fourteen to seventeen years who had been referred by the local magistrate’s court for minor criminal offences. The diversion programme is run under the auspices of the Usiko Stellenbosch Youth Development Project, an NGO specialising in the psycho-social development of male and female youth at-risk from disadvantaged communities. Central to Usiko’s diversion programme is an emphasis on utilising wilderness as an integral part of the rehabilitation process. The diversion programme includes two different types of four-day wilderness-based interventions. The first wilderness intervention is a camp-based, programme in the Franschhoek mountains, while the second is a hiking expedition-based in the Cederberg mountains. The study assesses the significance of how wilderness was construed, implemented and experienced by the team of five facilitators, who conducted the diversion programme. A description is given of the meta-theoretical model underpinning the diversion programme. Using a qualitative methodology as a participant-observer to the diversion programme, the researcher analysed the facilitators’ evaluations of the wilderness interventions as part of a restorative justice approach. Recommendations were proposed to enhance the programmatic implementation of wilderness interventions as a platform for rehabilitation and psycho-social development.

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescence is a challenging development stage because youths engage in risk-taking behaviour, including anti-social and criminal acts. Factors which contribute to youth becoming involved in crime include having a poor self-concept, being male, the negative behaviour of parents, family dysfunction, low socio-economic status, low literacy levels or being illiterate, peers who exercise a negative influence, and poor role models. Diversion strategies are practised worldwide, including South Africa, to deal with the growing number of youth in conflict with the law. After diversion practice was legalised in South Africa, some challenges have been experienced with implementation. However, the views of social workers are limited regarding diversion practices after the Child Justice Act no 75 of 2008 was introduced. The objective of the study is to gain insights from social workers who facilitate diversion programmes with male juvenile delinquents. In this study, attention was paid to explaining the nature of juvenile delinquency of male adolescents in a South African context; describing diversion programmes in terms of the Child Justice Act no 75 of 2008 to deal with children outside the criminal justice system; discerning the scope, nature and contribution of diversion programmes for the rehabilitation of delinquents; investigating the views of social workers on diversion programmes for male juvenile delinquents; and to make recommendations regarding the facilitation of diversion programmes with male juvenile delinquents. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used in the study. The study further assumed an exploratory and descriptive research design due to the limited information available regarding the views of social workers on diversion programmes with male juvenile delinquents. A purposive sampling method was used to select the participants. Data was gathered by means of a structured questionnaire, which was administered during 20 individual interviews. This allowed for a holistic view to be gained of participants' opinions about and insights into the topic. The design of the questionnaire was based on the information obtained from the literature review. The findings of the empirical investigation mainly confirmed the findings of the literature study that males are more vulnerable to juvenile delinquency, that parents and families play substantial roles in the causes of juvenile delinquency and, lastly, that diversion programmes offer much benefit to youth offenders. The most important recommendations resulting from the study indicate that social workers should become more skilled and equipped to facilitate therapeutic groups as this will contribute to the reduction of re-offending. Parental and family involvement in diversion programmes is essential as it will increase the impact on the youth offender. In addition, the recommendations indicate the significance of monitoring and evaluation of diversion programmes, in this way ensuring the proper implementation of the Act. Lastly, it is suggested that more research be done about diversion practices internationally to increase knowledge regarding implementation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die puberteitsjare is 'n uitdagende ontwikkelingsfase omdat die jeugdige riskante gedrag toon, soos antisosiale optrede en die pleeg van misdaad. Faktore wat bydra tot die jeugdige se betrokkenheid by misdaad is die feit dat hy tot die manlike geslag behoort, 'n lae selfbeeld het, die negatiewe gedrag van ouers, uit 'n gebroke huis kom, aan lae sosioekonomiese status ly, die lae vlak van of geen geletterdheid het nie, vriende wat 'n negatiewe invloed uitoefen, en swak rolmodelle. Afwendingstrategieë word wêreldwyd beoefen, ook in Suid-Afrika, om die toenemende aantal jeugdiges wat met die gereg bots, te help. Nadat afwendingspraktyke in Suid-Afrika gewettig is, is sekere uitdagings in die praktyk ervaar. Min menings is deur maatskaplike werkers geopper oor afwendingspraktyke nadat bepalings ingevolge die Kindergeregtigheidswet nr 75 van 2008 toegepas is. Die doel van die studie is om insigte te verleng van maatskaplike werkers wat afwendingsprogramme met manlike jeugmisdadigers fasiliteer. Aandag is geskenk aan die aard van jeugoortredings deur manlike jeugdiges in Suid-Afrika, beskrywings van afwendingsprogramme wat jeugdiges buite die strafregtelike stelsel behandel ingevolge die Kindergeregtigheidswet nr 75 van 2008, om insigte te win oor die omvang, aard en bydrae van afwendingsprogramme vir manlike jeugoortreders met die oog op rehabilitasie, om die menings en insigte van maatskaplike werkers oor afwendingsprogramme vir manlike jeugoortreders te ondersoek, en om aanbevelings te doen oor die fasilitering van afwendingsprogramme vir sulke oortreders. 'n Kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenaderings is in hierdie studie gevolg. Tydens hierdie ondersoek is ook beide 'n verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp benut, omdat die literatuur 'n gebrek toon aan die insigte van maatskaplike werkers oor afwendingsprogramme met manlike jeugoortreders. 'n Doelgerigte steekproeftrekking is gebruik om die deelnemers te keur. Gegewens is ingewin deur middel van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys in twintig afsonderlike onderhoude. Sodoende kon 'n geheelbeeld van die deelnemers se menings en insigte aangaande die onderwerp verkry word. Die samestelling van die vraelys is gegrond op inligting wat uit die literatuuroorsig verkry is. Die bevindinge van die ondersoek het grootendeels dié van die literatuuroorsig bevestig, naamlik dat mans meer kwesbaar is vir jeugoortredings, dat ouers en gesinne 'n groot rol speel in die oorsake van jeugoortredings, en dat jeugoortreders baat kan vind by afwendingsprogramme. Die belangrikste aanbevelings voortspruitend uit hierdie studie dui daarop dat maatskaplike werkers meer vaardighede moet opdoen en toegerus moet word om terapeutiese groepe te fasiliteer aangesien dit sal bydra tot die vermindering van die herhaling van die oortreding. Dit is belangrik dat ouers en families betrokke is by afwendingsprogramme omdat dit 'n groter uitwerking op die jeugoortreder sal hê. Die aanbevelings dui ook op die belangrikheid van die monitering en evaluering van afwendingsprogramme om te verseker dat die bepalings ingevolge die Wet korrek toegepas word. Laastens, daar word voorgestel dat meer navorsing oor afwendingspraktyke internasionaal gedoen word om kennis oor die implementering daarvan te verbreed.

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood. This indicates a growth process the goal of which is maturity. This growth process is regarded as a turbulent phase as there are various adolescent developmental tasks to be mastered that bring about certain challenges. These challenges have resulted in youths engaging in risk-taking behaviour, such as antisocial behaviour and committing crime. Several factors or social problems in South Africa lead to the vulnerability of youths, which leads to crime. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of probation officers regarding the contribution of diversion programmes for male juvenile offenders to prevent re-offending. The research was done on the basis of an extensive literature review, which focused on the nature and extent of youth crime, the legal points of departure of the Child Justice Act (75 of 2008) and diversion programmes to prevent re-offending. A combined quantitative and qualitative research approach and an exploratory and descriptive research design was utilized in this study because the researcher wanted to develop a better understanding of the social problem or phenomenon and the perspectives of probation officers with respect to the contribution of diversion programmes for male juvenile offenders, as well as the factors that lead to re-offending in South Africa. The respondents consisted of all probation officers employed by government organizations in the Eden-Karoo Region who have the necessary knowledge and experience regarding the topic. A purposive, non-probability sampling was used. Data were gathered through a semi-structured questionnaire in 20 separate interviews. The composition of the questionnaire was based on the information obtained from the literature review. Based on the results arising from the literature and empirical research, appropriate conclusions and recommendations were made. The results were largely confirmed by the literature review, namely that diversion programmes contribute to the prevention of re-offending if correctly implemented, that significant resources in the intervention should be involved and follow-up care and monitoring after the programmes or interventions must take place. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessensie is die ontwikkelingstadium tussen die kinderjare en volwassenheid. Dit dui op ’n groeiproses waarvan die doelwit volwassenheid is. Hierdie groeiproses word beskou as ’n stormagtige fase aangesien die adolessent verskeie ontwikkelingstake moet bemeester wat sekere uitdagings meebring. Die uitdagings het tot gevolg dat die jeugdiges riskante gedrag toon, soos antisosiale optrede en die pleeg van misdaad. Verskeie faktore of maatskaplike probleme in Suid-Afrika lei daartoe dat jeugdiges kwesbaar is en betrokke raak by misdaad. Die doel van hierdie studie is om ondersoek te doen na die sieninge van proefbeamptes rakende die bydrae van afwentelingsprogramme vir manlike jeugoortreders om hermisdaadpleging te voorkom. Die ondersoek is gedoen aan die hand van ’n uitgebreide literatuurstudie, wat gefokus het op die aard en omvang van jeugmisdaad, die wetlike vertrekpunte van die Wet op Kindergeregtigheid (75 van 2008) en afwentelingsprogramme vir die voorkoming van hermisdaadpleging. ’n Gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering en ’n verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp is in hierdie studie benut, omdat die navorser ’n beter begrip wou verkry van die maatskaplike probleem of fenomeen en die sieninge van proefbeamptes met betrekking tot die bydrae van afwentelingsprogramme vir manlike jeugoortreders. Die faktore wat aanleiding gee tot hermisdaadpleging in Suid-Afrika word ook verken. Die universum bestaan uit alle proefbeamptes werksaam by regeringsorganisasies in die Eden-Karoo Streek wat oor die nodige kennis en ervaring van die onderwerp beskik. ʼn Doelbewuste, nie-waarskynlikheid-steekproeftrekking is benut. Gegewens is ingewin deur middel van ’n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys in twintig afsonderlike onderhoude. Die samestelling van die onderhoudskedule is gegrond op die inligting wat uit die literatuuroorsig verkry is. Op grond van die resultate voortspruitend uit die literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek, kon toepaslike gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak word. Die resultate het grotendeels die literatuuroorsig bevestig, naamlik dat afwentelingsprogramme bydra tot die voorkoming van hermisdaadpleging indien dit korrek geïmplementeer word, dat betekenisvolle hulpbronne in die intervensieproses betrek moet word en dat nasorg en monitering na afloop van die programme of maatskaplike intervensies moet geskied.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / As primary caregivers (such as residential youth-care workers) are the first teachers of children and spend much more time with the child than any other service provider, educational psychologists need to implement programmes that include primary caregivers in actively working with the youth in their care. This calls for educational psychologists to gain a rich understanding of the experiences of youth-care workers in order to work collaboratively in rehabilitating youth at risk within the youth’s ecosystem. The study attempts to explore the experiences of youth-care workers in residential facilities, using the ecosystemic perspective. A proposed outcome of the research is to contribute to the skills and interventions educational psychologists can use in collaborating with and supporting youth-care workers in residential facilities to rehabilitate youth who are at risk successfully. Qualitative research within the interpretive/constructivist paradigm was employed as the research design. Research was based at two residential facilities in an outlying area of Cape Town, from which four youth-care workers and two youths were drawn as a sample. The data was collected through six semi-structured interviews, observations over a 10-month period at one of the facilities, and photographs of youth-care workers and children. The review of literature and the findings of this research uncovered many experiences that appear to typify residential youth care. These experiences include the multifaceted nature of the role that youth-care workers fulfil in a residential facility; three types of emotional affect experienced by youth-care workers working in facilities; the significance of healthy youth-care worker-child relationships and the importance of these relationships in the successful rehabilitation of youth at risk; and the levels of support and training required in order to perform the task of successfully rehabilitating youth at risk in residential settings.