South Africa is one of the countries that have a high rate of recidivism, especially amongst adult male 1offenders; this is evident in the large numbers flocking into the prisons. The high rate of recidivism is a serious problem in that it not only affects the offender and his immediate family, but also other vulnerable groups in society, as well as the government. The study intended to uncover various factors which contribute to this recidivism, as a phenomenon; South Africa has a notable dearth of research on factors contributing to recidivism. Unavailability of scientific research data has a negative impact on the fight against recidivism because it is empirical findings that can inform appropriate efficient and effective remedies to the challenge of recidivism. This qualitative study utilised explorative, contextual, phenomenological and descriptive research designs with the ecological system theory as a framework. Data were collected by means of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with adult males who have re-offended after being reintegrated with their families. Data analysis was guided by thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2013:175) while Lincoln & Guba’s model in Bryman (2012:392) was employed for data verification. Ethical considerations were upheld throughout this study. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka vilka sociala riskfaktorer för återfall i brott hos unga kriminella som presenteras i aktuell forskning. Metod: Studien genomfördes genom en allmän litteraturöversikt med systematiska inslag. Sökningen gjordes i Criminology Collection och Sociology Collection. För utformning av sökstrategi användes SPIDER och de huvudsakliga inklusionskriterierna var kvantitativa, 2010-, riskfaktorer och recidivism. Syntetiseringen gjordes narrativt och studien hade en deduktiv ansats på grund av teoretisk referensram samt induktiv då slutsatserna dras från de delar av resultatet som svar på studiens syfte. Resultat: Resultatet baseras på de 14 artiklar som inkluderats varav inga artiklar från Sverige återfanns i sökningen. De huvudsakliga riskfaktorerna som visade association med recidivism var familjeförhållanden, skola och arbetsliv, umgänge, fritidsintressen och rekreation samt attityder och värderingar. Inga nya riskfaktorer presenteras i denna studie utan redan kända sammanställs och redogörs för. / Aim: The aim was to compile current research to see which kind of social risk factors presented for recidivism in youth delinquents. Method: This study is a general literature review with systematic elements. The search was conducted in Criminology Collection and Sociology Collection. The search strategy was formed by SPIDER and the main criterias for inclusion were quantitative, 2010-, risk factors and recidivism. The synthesizing was done narratively and the study had both an inductive and deductive onset. Results: The results are based on the fourteen articles included in the study, no articles from Sweden were found in the search. The main risk factors that were associated with criminal recidivism were family relations, school and work, socializing, leisure and recreation and also attitudes and values. No new factors of risk were found in this study, instead already known risk factors were summarized and explained.

The purpose of this study is to explore the differences and characteristics between first time felony probationer and recidivist felony probation offender. The importance of said studies grows significantly, given current trends of sentencing offenders to probation. Using archived data on random sample of felony offenders in 2000 and based on information acquired and maintained by the Denton County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD), the study consists of 40 first time felony offenders and 40 recidivist felony offender placed on probation during the year 2000. The method consists of a longitudinal comparison model. To examine the research question, descriptive statistics are used to compare basic demographics. Then, in order to answer the research question bi-variate significant tests, Chi-square and Independent Sample T-tests were employed when appropriate. Results indicate differences between first time felony probation offenders and recidivist felony probationers.

Children and adolescents that reappear for investigation in the Child Protective Services (CPS) can be interpreted as an issue for the social services ambitions to provide service for potential families in need of assistance. This study was based on information gathered from social workers investigating the situation for 882 children during two months, in two municipalities in Sweden. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and being the subject of more than one previous investigation at the CPS. The study provides an estimate of the likelihood of  being the subject of more than one previous investigation. Results show that certain adversities concerning the child and in the family situation increased the odds of having been exposed to several investigations. Findings from the study also show that the risk of being investigated several times increases incrementally with accumulated adverse childhood experiences.

Abstract The thesis titled - The possibility of eliminating the risk of recurrence of persons conditionally released from prison (the prison sentence) can illuminate current topic of criminal recidivism at a time whenmore and more discussion about prison overcrowding and the improvement of efficiency and alternative sanctions is debated in society. The theoretical part is divided into four chapters, in which I try to clarify the key issues. I explain different terms, mention the statistical data, I describe possible relapse prevention tools e.g. treatment programs or alternative sanctions. I refer to innovation tools of the criminal policy, e.g. Electronic monitoring or Probation Homes. I mention subjects dealing with prevention of criminal recidivism. The empirical part describes the research and it is divided into two chapters. To achieve its objective, I chose the strategy of qualitative research, an interrogation method and semi - structured interview technique. The first part was realized on a research sample of nine clients conditionally released from prison with a supervision of the probation officer. The second part of the research was conducted on a sample of eight probation officers from the Probation and Mediation Service (PMS) in the South Bohemia. The main goal was to map the instruments used in the context of prevention of recurrence of persons conditionally released from prison by probation officers. Results showed that the list of instruments is extremely diverse. Analysis of self - assessment, professional interview and assistance of the other organizations e.g. Labor office, police, NGOs or debt counseling are the most preferred ones. The first sub - objective was to findopinions of probation officers on implementing new instruments helping to reduce recidivism and to reveal their possible advantages and disadvantages of them. Results showed that electronic monitoring as a new tool is welcomed by probation officersand they are believed to increase efficiency of the home imprisonment sentence. The most of respondents identified the implementing of Probation Homes as useful, particularly in the area of strengthening the social functioning of the client. The second sub - objective was to describe differences in risk of recurrence from the perspective of persons conditionally released from prison to probation officers. The research results showed that probation officers and their clients have different points of view on the matter. The officers said their clients were not able to see "yourself", they had no lack of self - reflection and the ability to learn from the crime they had committed. People released from prison are the most feared of drug addictionand gambling or job loss. This thesis is supposed to bring insight into reducing the risk of recurrence issue and recently introduced tools in this field. Furthermore, to point out the difference in the view and riskassessment of recurrence between probation officers and their clients.

Using a Cox proportional hazards regression model, this dissertation explores three factors currently not addressed in the literature on men who batter women and who are court ordered to participate in a battering intervention program. These factors are the cumulative effects of civil and criminal legal sanctions (dose-response of sanctions) for domestic violence related offenses on recidivism, reduced opportunities to recidivate, and whether the number of legal sanctions imposed has an effect on how long a man maintains his non-recidivism status. Because one domestic violence case may involve multiple sanctions, this study uses the Legal Sanction Dose-Response Index to gauge the cumulative impact of civil and criminal sanctions upon recidivism of domestic violence. The Cox proportional hazards model indicates that the risk of recidivism is 45% lower for men who experienced two legal sanctions (typically arrest and probation) in response to the index case, relative to men who experienced one legal sanction (typically civil protective order). In other words, those with two legal sanctions are able to maintain their non-recidivism status longer relative to those with one sanction. Men with prior criminal court involvement for domestic violence related offenses are more likely to recidivate. Additionally, rather than incarceration reducing opportunities to recidivate, this study finds that incarceration for any offenses committed during the follow-up period is a predictor of recidivism of domestic violence related offenses. It is possible that, rather than incarceration reducing opportunities, recidivists are persistent and use whatever opportunities are available to them to commit domestic violence, despite legal sanctions.

Bakgrund: Brottsmedling i brottsmål som involverar unga lagöverträdare är en viktig del av rättsväsendet och av socialt arbete. Medlingen, som är en del av filosofin reparativ rättvisa ämnar vara till nytta för både gärningsman och offer. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka huvudteman som går att identifiera i tidigare forskning inom ämnet. Metod: En scoping review version litteraturstudie med tematisk analys användes som metod för att svara på syftet. Sökningar utfördes i databasen Primo. Tio studier valdes ut. De valda artiklarna kvalitetsgranskades och analyserades enligt teman. Resultat: Intresset bland brottsoffer för att delta i medling är stort och medlingen kan vara en mycket viktig del i offrets rehabiliteringsprocess. Många brottsoffer har positiva upplevelser av medlingsförfarandet och dess effekter, men upplever även besvikelse på processen och dess resultat är vanligt förekommande hos deltagande brottsoffer. Att få en ursäkt av sin gärningsman är för merparten av brottsoffren som deltar i medling mycket viktigt. Ursäkten är även viktig för gärningsmannen och förhoppningar om förlåtelse från sitt offer är vanligt bland gärningsmännen. Förlåtelse är tillsammans med andra aspekter påverkande på huruvida medlingsprocessen skapar minskad på återfallsförbrytelse för dessa gärningsmän. Medlaren har en mycket viktig roll i medlingsprocessen och påverkar alla aspekter av hur den fortskrider samt vad den resulterar i. Slutsats: Medlingsprocessen är viktig för de individer som erbjuds att delta och har potential att påverka ett brottsoffers rehabilitering samt en gärningsmans framtida sociala beteende och kriminella bana / Background: Victim offender mediation in criminal cases involving youth offenders is an important part of the judiciary and of social work. Mediation, which is part of the philosophy of reparative justice, intends to benefit both the perpetrator and the victim. It also strives to promote recidivism and prosocial behavior of the perpetrator. Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate which main themes can be identified in previous research on the subject. Method: A scoping review approach of literature study with applied thematic analysis was used as a method to answer the purpose. Searches were performed in the database Primo. Ten studies were selected. The selected articles were quality reviewed and analyzed according to the themes. Result: The interest among crime victims in participating in mediation is large and mediation can be a very important part of the victim's rehabilitation process. Many victims have positive experiences of the mediation process and its effects, but also experience of disappointment in the process and its results are common among the victims. Receiving an apology from your perpetrator is very important for most victims who participate in mediation. The apology is also important to the perpetrator and hope of forgiveness from one’s victim is common among the perpetrators. Forgiveness, together with other aspects, affects whether the mediation process creates a reduction in recidivism for these perpetrators. The mediator has a very important role in the mediation process and affects all aspects of how it progresses and what it results in. Conclusion: The mediation process is important for the individuals who participate and has the potential to influence a victim's rehabilitation and a perpetrator's future social behavior and criminal path.

Bakgrund: Brottsmedling i brottsmål som involverar unga lagöverträdare är en viktig del av rättsväsendet och av socialt arbete. Medlingen, som är en del av filosofin reparativ rättvisa ämnar vara till nytta för både gärningsman och offer. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka huvudteman som går att identifiera i tidigare forskning inom ämnet. Metod: En scoping review version litteraturstudie med tematisk analys användes som metod för att svara på syftet. Sökningar utfördes i databasen Primo. Tio studier valdes ut. De valda artiklarna kvalitetsgranskades och analyserades enligt teman. Resultat: Intresset bland brottsoffer för att delta i medling är stort och medlingen kan vara en mycket viktig del i offrets rehabiliteringsprocess. Många brottsoffer har positiva upplevelser av medlingsförfarandet och dess effekter, men upplever även besvikelse på processen och dess resultat är vanligt förekommande hos deltagande brottsoffer. Att få en ursäkt av sin gärningsman är för merparten av brottsoffren som deltar i medling mycket viktigt. Ursäkten är även viktig för gärningsmannen och förhoppningar om förlåtelse från sitt offer är vanligt bland gärningsmännen. Förlåtelse är tillsammans med andra aspekter påverkande på huruvida medlingsprocessen skapar minskad på återfallsförbrytelse för dessa gärningsmän. Medlaren har en mycket viktig roll i medlingsprocessen och påverkar alla aspekter av hur den fortskrider samt vad den resulterar i. Slutsats: Medlingsprocessen är viktig för de individer som erbjuds att delta och har potential att påverka ett brottsoffers rehabilitering samt en gärningsmans framtida sociala beteende och kriminella bana. / Background: Victim offender mediation in criminal cases involving youth offenders is an important part of the judiciary and of social work. Mediation, which is part of the philosophy of reparative justice, intends to benefit both the perpetrator and the victim. It also strives to promote recidivism and prosocial behavior of the perpetrator. Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate which main themes can be identified in previous research on the subject. Method: A scoping review approach of literature study with applied thematic analysis was used as a method to answer the purpose. Searches were performed in the database Primo. Ten studies were selected. The selected articles were quality reviewed and analyzed according to the themes. Result: The interest among crime victims in participating in mediation is large and mediation can be a very important part of the victim's rehabilitation process. Many victims have positive experiences of the mediation process and its effects, but also experience of disappointment in the process and its results are common among the victims. Receiving an apology from your perpetrator is very important for most victims who participate in mediation. The apology is also important to the perpetrator and hope of forgiveness from one’s victim is common among the perpetrators. Forgiveness, together with other aspects, affects whether the mediation process creates a reduction in recidivism for these perpetrators. The mediator has a very important role in the mediation process and affects all aspects of how it progresses and what it results in. Conclusion: The mediation process is important for the individuals who participate and has the potential to influence a victim's rehabilitation and a perpetrator's future social behavior and criminal path.

The high crime rate in South Africa and the government’s apparent inability to deal with this problem is a reality. Even though no official statistics exist regarding the recidivism rate in South Africa it is estimated that it could be between 55% and 95%. The contributing role that recidivism plays towards the high crime rate can therefore not be ignored. In South Africa no classification system exists whereby a repeat offender can formally be classified as a recidivist. The crime prevention and management strategies currently utilised in South Africa furthermore does not recognise and address the role that recidivism plays as contributing factor towards the high crime rate. The aim of this study was to formulate a classification system for the South African recidivist in order to compile an inter-disciplinary action plan for the prevention and management of recidivism. The research design of this study was exploratory and both quantitative and qualitative data gathering methods were used in this study. The quantitative study involved the completion of the PFIR eco-metric scale by offenders falling within the classification criteria for recidivism. From the analyses of this data a proposed profile of the South African recidivist was compiled. During the qualitative phase of the research interviews were conducted with experts in the field of crime prevention and management. A semi-structured interview schedule was used for this purpose. Based on the key findings of the study an inter-disciplinary action plan for the prevention and management of recidivism was compiled. The purpose of this action plan is to propose an inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral intervention and management strategy to address recidivism holistically. Within the action plan it is suggested that recidivism should be addressed on three levels, namely prevention, therapeutic and developmental intervention and reintegration. The primary recommendation of this study was that the proposed inter-disciplinary action plan should be adopted by policy makers and be included in the crime management and prevention strategies of South Africa. The study concluded with specific recommendations to help facilitate this process. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

Thesis( M. A. ( Criminology and Criminal Justice)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The VOM and FGC programmes have become valuable instruments for the rehabilitation of offenders. These programmes bring crime victims and offenders together to reach agreements for restitution and community healing. Moreover, the NICRO, a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) in Polokwane, Limpopo Province, offers these programmes to offenders and their victims. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of VOM and FGC programmes on recidivism in Polokwane Municipality, Limpopo Province. The study sought to identify factors contributing to recidivism in Limpopo Province, to explore associated challenges in response to recidivism by the local NICRO and to determine strategies employed by NICRO in response to recidivism in the province. The qualitative research approach was used in the study. This study further assumed a phenomenological design, which aims to describe, understand and interpret the meaning that participants give to their everyday life. The non-probability sampling technique was used to select participants of the study. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from adult male and female offenders and their family members who participated in VOM and FGC programmes. Data was also collected using one-on-one semi structured interviews from Social Workers at NICRO. Based on the transcribed data, themes were extracted and analysed using Thematic Contents Analysis (TCA). This allowed for an all-inclusive view to be gained of participants' opinions about insights into the topic. The design of the questionnaire was based on the objectives of the study. This study established that there are factors that contribute to reoffending and challenges in response to recidivism. The findings of the study showed that factors such as unemployment and substance abuse can lead to reoffending. The study recommended that these programmes should address the criminogenic needs of offenders as a measure to respond to recidivism. It has been discovered that VOM and FGC programmes help many offenders to acknowledge and understand the impact of the crime committed to parties.