Within the Stockton community there are agencies a) whose primary purpose is treatment of juvenile offenders, or b) whose auxiliary function is the treatment of juvenile offenders . One of the working assumptions of these agencies is that if the juvenile, as a first offender or minor offender, can be diverted from the juvenile courts or even from the probation office, then the juvenile can receive more effective care and treatment. Many juvenile offenses such as truancy, or incorrigibility, or psychological problems can obviously be handled better out of court and out of jail. The purpose of this project is to investigate diversionary attempts within the Stockton community and in San Joaquin County as they apply to Stockton. This project will seek to not only identify diversionary attempts and define diversion in some of its forms, but also to produce a statement regarding the potential for city and related county agencies to achieve coordination of juvenile diversionary services.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Increasingly, concerns are being raised about the growing incidents of recidivism in South Africa. Of great concern is that reoffending often involves serious crimes such as murder, rape, robbery and substance abuse. The main purpose of this research was to assess how well rehabilitation programmes are implemented in the Boksburg Management Area, and to determine whether such efforts benefited offenders. Based on a qualitative case study design, data was collected from this area using semi-structured interviews, document analysis and observation in September 2013. Participants included programme officials, social workers, facilitators, case managers, inmates and representatives from participating NPOs and CBOs. A nonprobability sampling method called purposive sampling was utilised to construct this sample. The study used the 5C model as the basis for assessing the implementation of the rehabilitation programme in the Boksburg Management Area and the following findings are as identified. Firstly, the officials are conversant with the goals of the rehabilitation programme. The country’s socio economic circumstances have an influence on rehabilitation as evidenced by the wide variety of projects offered, including literacy initiatives, bakery services, furniture manufacturing, and welding, landscaping and community-based agricultural projects. Commitment can be increased and harnessed to obtain support for organisational ends and interests through such ploys as participation in decisions and actions. Capacity is the key to successful execution and sustainability of rehabilitative programme. Lastly, the offenders as clients are the key beneficiaries of rehabilitation programmes and that formation of alliances with civil organisations is critical for effective implementation of rehabilitation programme. It was therefore concluded that while substantial gains had been realised in implementing the rehabilitation programme, however more efforts were required to improve access to rehabilitation services. Amongst other things, the study recommended that institutional capacity be improved to ensure that inmates benefit immensely from the rehabilitation programme. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar word toenemend kommer uitgespreek oor groeiende residivisme in Suid-Afrika. Die feit dat herhalende oortredings dikwels ernstige misdade soos moord, verkragting, roof en delmmisbruik insluit, is erg kommerwekkend. Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsing was om vas te stel hoe doeltreffend rehabilitasieprogramme in die Boskburg Bestuursarea geïmplimenteer word en om vas te stel of sulke pogings oortreders bevoordeel het. Die studie-ontwerp van die ondersoek is gebaseer op kwalitatiewe gevallestudies. Data is uit hierdie area bekom deur die gebruik van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, dokument anaslise en observasie gedurende September 2013. Deelnemers het programbeamptes, maatskaplike werkers, fasiliteerders, saakbestuurders, gevangenes en verteenwoordigers van deelnemende nie-winsgewende organisasies en gemeenskapsgebaseerde organisasies ingesluit. ‘n Nie-waarskynlikheids steekproefmetode, bekend as ‘n doelmatigheidssteekproefneming, is gebruik om hierdie steekproef saam te stel. Die studie het die 5C model as basis vir die assessering van die rehabilitasieprogram in die Boksburg Bestuursarea gebruik en die volgende bevindings is gemaak. Eerstens is bevind dat die beamptes vertroud is met die doelwitte van die rehabilitasieprogram. Die land se sosio-ekonomiese onstandigehde het ‘n invloed op rehabilitasie soos bewys deur ‘n wye verskeidenheid projekte wat aangebied word, insluitend geletterdheidsinisiatiewe, bakkerydienste, meubelvervaardiging, sweiswerk, tuinaanleg en gemeenskapsgebaseerde landbouprojekte. Betrokkenheid kan verhoog en behou word, met die oog daarop om ondersteuning vir organisatoriese doelwitte en belange te verkry, deur byvoorbeeld deelname aan besluite en aksies. Kapasiteit is die sleutel tot die suksesvolle uitvoering en volhoubaarheid ‘n rehabilitasieprogram. Laastens, is oortreders as kliënte die vernaamste voordeeltrekkers van rehabilitasieprograamme. Die vorming van bondgenootskappe met burgerlike organisasies is van kritieke belang vir die effektiewe implementasie van ‘n rehabilitasieprogram. Hoewel beduidende vordering reeds plaasgevind het met die implementasie van die rehabilitasieprogram, was die gevolgtrekking dus dat meer pogings vereis word om toegang tot rehabilitasiedienste te verbeter. Die studie het, onder andere, aanbeveel dat institusionele kapasiteit verbeter moet word om te verseker dat gevangenes ontsaglik baat vind by die rehabilitasieprogram.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Also available in print.

The aim of this study is to explore the experiences and evaluations of young male offenders who were diverted to family group conferencing in order to improve current services. An exploratory research design was chosen to obtain an understanding of what these young male offenders experienced during their conferencing and also to seek out their recommendations for future improvement of the family group conferencing diversion programme. This study comprised two samples which were purposively selected. The first sample was made up of ten young male offenders and the second sample comprised of the parents and /or guardians of the young male offenders. The data was collected using structured interview schedules. The data was collected on separate occasions for the two samples. Each interview lasted about 30- 40 minutes each. The findings of this study showed that there is still a need to train probation officers on appropriate implementation of family group conferencing and that families also have a role to play towards succefull implementation of diversion programmes. It is evident from the findings that young offenders need their families to support and care for them during difficult situations, as purported by the systems theory whereby society is regarded as a system with different parts and families are an important part of this system. Young offenders belong to families and families are part of communities and society. It is also important to note that victims are part of families, thus also part of society and the system. Family group conferencing provide an opportunity for all these parts to meet in a mediated environment to address the harm caused and make amends. The findings of this study also showed that there is a need to educate the general public about child justice legislation and the emerging trends in the field of child justice including diversion programmes.

A qualitative study was undertaken about social workers rendering rehabilitation services to male offenders in a maximum correctional centre.The study was exploratory and descriptive. This study was prompted by the need to look more deeply at the maximum offenders entrusted to the Department‟s of Correctional services care and to research the challenges faced by social workers in rendering rehabilitation services to these offenders. The goal of this study was to explore and describe the challenges facing social workers rendering rehabilitation services to male offenders in a maximum correctional centre and to explore and describe strategies to address the challenges. The researcher used the eight steps provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 1994:155) to analyse the data systematically. Non-probability, purposive sampling was used in order to obtain relevant information from the correct participants. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science, Mental Health)