<p>Despite the unpleasant living conditions in prison, recidivism seems to be an uncontrollable phenomenon. It is evident that prison life is harsh with inmates having to sleep on the floors due to overpopulation, frequently subjected to physical and sexual abuse, and overpopulation leading to numerous communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Prison should therefore, be the least favourable ecosystem in which to be incorporated. However, research indicates that thousands of youth return to prison habitually. This study aimed to explore juvenile inmates perceptions of their return to prison. Although recidivism is often measured in terms of the success of rehabilitation programmes, this study focused on eliciting socio-economic factors influencing recidivism.</p>

Thesis (M.Ed.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The majority of the young adult offenders have a low level of education and are without the proper skills desired by employers. Vocational rehabilitation programme offered to young adult offenders seem ineffective in preparing young adult offenders for better lives after release. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible intervention strategies for improving vocational rehabilitation programme offered to young adult offenders at Polokwane Correctional Services Centre. Focus was also on the challenges faced by young adult offenders during the implementation of vocational rehabilitation programmes for the young adult offenders. Qualitative research approach was applied using case study design. Semi-structured interviews, focus group and documents analysis were employed to gather data. The major research findings indicated that:  Young adult offenders receive insufficient and inadequate vocational rehabilitation training due to lack of qualified trainers for specific field.  Young adult offenders often skip classes due to shortage of prison officers who can escort them to their classes.  There is lack of resources such as textbooks, apparatus to conduct practicals for engineering studies and skills development programmes.  There is insufficient support and motivation to the young adult offenders from the management and educational staff. It was recommended that:  Enough qualified trainers and section heads should be appointed to conduct vocational rehabilitation training to the young adult offenders.  Enough prison officers should be appointed to escort young adult offenders from cells to classroom to avoid the issue of skipping lessons.  Sufficient resources such as textbooks and apparatus to conduct practicals must be provided to centre should be made in order to provide support and motivation to young adult offenders.

<p>Despite the unpleasant living conditions in prison, recidivism seems to be an uncontrollable phenomenon. It is evident that prison life is harsh with inmates having to sleep on the floors due to overpopulation, frequently subjected to physical and sexual abuse, and overpopulation leading to numerous communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Prison should therefore, be the least favourable ecosystem in which to be incorporated. However, research indicates that thousands of youth return to prison habitually. This study aimed to explore juvenile inmates perceptions of their return to prison. Although recidivism is often measured in terms of the success of rehabilitation programmes, this study focused on eliciting socio-economic factors influencing recidivism.</p>

The present treatise is an attempt to come to terms with the, by all accounts, dismal conditions that exist in present-day South African prisons by addressing these conditions as they are reflected in two interviews with individuals intimately acquainted with them, as well as by pertinent media-reports. The study is predicated on the belief that the most suitable methodological approach to a situation characterized by extreme conflicts and tensions in terms of power relations, is provided by (mainly Foucaultian) discourse-theory and the discourse-analysis that it makes possible. Consequently, after an introduction in which the present study is justified, followed by a theoretical section outlining the terrain of discourse theory and discourse-analysis, two chapters are devoted to specific discourse-analyses of interviews with an awaiting-trial prisoner in a South African prison and a warden employed at the same institution, with a view to uncovering the power-relations at stake here. While acknowledging that the implications of the insights thus afforded are not, strictly speaking, generalizable in a positivist manner, and that the power-relations brought to light by means of these discourse-analyses are highly specific, it is argued that various other studies pertaining to the South African prison system indicate that these powerrelations – more specifically the disempowerment of prisoners by the functioning of violently hierarchical discursive practices in South African prisons - are not restricted to the prison in question. In fact, given the SA Correctional Services’ stated policy of rehabilitation, it is striking that there is scant evidence of any such rehabilitation in the prisons concerned – at least in the sense of prisoners attaining a level of moral responsibility that would enable them to live as accountable citizens in a democratic society. In conclusion it is argued that the present state of affairs, far from being conducive to the stated goal of rehabilitation, actually undermines its realization, and that the social and economic inequalities in South Africa, exacerbated by the union between ‘democracy’ and global capitalism, are perpetuated and reinforced by the existing discursive practices in South African prisons.

The "Dancing with Change" Programme (DWCP) is an ecosystemically informed substance abuse intervention programme that was developed by the participants and myself with the aim of building resilience towards substance abuse among youth. The DWCP was conducted in the school setting, with ten volunteer Grade 7 learners over a ten-week period for an hour a week. The learners' parents participated in an initial needs assessment and in a feedback session at the end of DWCP, together with the life skills teacher and headmaster who observed and contributed to the process. An independent observer, present at each session, served to increase the dependability and confirmability of the evaluation findings. The DWCP appeared to have achieved its goals as defined by the participants. The evaluation findings are presented as a guide for people working in the field of adolescent substance abuse that synthesises best practice and lessons learnt in the field. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)

The "Dancing with Change" Programme (DWCP) is an ecosystemically informed substance abuse intervention programme that was developed by the participants and myself with the aim of building resilience towards substance abuse among youth. The DWCP was conducted in the school setting, with ten volunteer Grade 7 learners over a ten-week period for an hour a week. The learners' parents participated in an initial needs assessment and in a feedback session at the end of DWCP, together with the life skills teacher and headmaster who observed and contributed to the process. An independent observer, present at each session, served to increase the dependability and confirmability of the evaluation findings. The DWCP appeared to have achieved its goals as defined by the participants. The evaluation findings are presented as a guide for people working in the field of adolescent substance abuse that synthesises best practice and lessons learnt in the field. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)