People-against-the-law is a societal phenomenon that will never disappear, even in societies where law and order are effectively enforced and practised. Political, economic and social conditions contribute to reasons why some people end up in correctional facilities. This study investigated the perceptions of offenders enrolled in education and training programmes offered by three correctional centres in Pretoria. The study adopted a pragmatic qualitative methodology in which the perceptions of the offenders in the educational programmes, and officials were investigated on whether the programmes addressed their personal development and that of their communities. Interviews and observations were used to collect data during tuition activities. Sixty-five (65) males, females, youth offenders, ex-convicts and officials from Correctional Services and non-governmental organisations participated in the study. Bronfenbrenner’s systems and Knowles’ andragogy were used as the theoretical base to understand the dynamics of adult learning in challenging prison environments. The study concluded that educational programmes offered by the Department of Correctional Services must be needs-based and align to employment opportunities, self-esteem and proper rehabilitation of individual offenders. Adult education programmes grounded on andragogic principles and practices should be revisited in correctional centres’ contexts. Thus educational programmes within Correctional Services should not only be mandatory, but teaching and learning activities should be conducted by qualified adult educators, and address the social needs of the adult offenders. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio Education)

People-against-the-law is a societal phenomenon that will never disappear, even in societies where law and order are effectively enforced and practised. Political, economic and social conditions contribute to reasons why some people end up in correctional facilities. This study investigated the perceptions of offenders enrolled in education and training programmes offered by three correctional centres in Pretoria. The study adopted a pragmatic qualitative methodology in which the perceptions of the offenders in the educational programmes, and officials were investigated on whether the programmes addressed their personal development and that of their communities. Interviews and observations were used to collect data during tuition activities. Sixty-five (65) males, females, youth offenders, ex-convicts and officials from Correctional Services and non-governmental organisations participated in the study. Bronfenbrenner’s systems and Knowles’ andragogy were used as the theoretical base to understand the dynamics of adult learning in challenging prison environments. The study concluded that educational programmes offered by the Department of Correctional Services must be needs-based and align to employment opportunities, self-esteem and proper rehabilitation of individual offenders. Adult education programmes grounded on andragogic principles and practices should be revisited in correctional centres’ contexts. Thus educational programmes within Correctional Services should not only be mandatory, but teaching and learning activities should be conducted by qualified adult educators, and address the social needs of the adult offenders. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio Education)

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the self-proclaimed performance of the National Board of Institutional Care, and its specific youth care homes in Sweden (SiS), concerning SiS work with institutionalised children and youth in relation to law of The Care of Young Persons Act (LVU). Special focus is also given to how the SiS self-assessment contrasts with the accounts given by institutionalised youths. We have investigated SiS claims present on their website since it provides ample documentation, information and deeds, and investigated reports by youth in the media, research and news outlets. We have elected to code all collected data and have thus identified key recurring themes present in youth and SiS reports.We have then regarded these findings with respect to our theories that are presented in the results and analysis section along with previous research. In this section we maintain that the description provided by youths at SiS is problematic and often shows a lack of care giving instances or staff that master the tools required to meet the youth in a constructive manner. In the discussion we once again maintain our theories and methodological approach that is based on Discourse analytical grounds that maintain the importance of language and the messages signified through actions.

Au cours des dernières décennies, de nombreuses études ont confirmé l’existence d’une relation entre les troubles mentaux graves et persistants (TMGP) et la commission de crimes violents. Les facteurs de risque associés à la violence chez les gens atteints de TMGP sont la consommation d’alcool ou de drogues, la dépression et les troubles de personnalité. Cependant, aucune étude n’a été faite auprès des détenus des prisons québécoises, c’est-à-dire, des détenus qui purgent des sentences de courte durée, afin de voir si ces constats s’appliquent aussi à cette population. La présente étude tente de vérifier si les mêmes facteurs de risque sont liés à la violence chez les détenus psychotiques des prisons du Québec. Les dossiers de la RAMQ et du système DACOR de 121 détenus ont été analysés afin de répondre à la question de recherche. Tout d’abord, des analyses statistiques descriptives et bivariées ont été effectuées. Par la suite, des régressions logistiques ont été menées afin d’identifier les meilleurs prédicteurs de comportements violents chez les contrevenants psychotiques des prisons québécoises. Il semble que ce soit davantage les antécédents judiciaires ainsi que la médication psychotrope qui a été prescrite, plutôt que les diagnostics de troubles mentaux comorbides, qui distinguent les détenus psychotiques violents des non-violents dans les prisons québécoises. Une explication possible à cette observation est que les médecins prescriraient plus en fonction de la présence de certains symptômes spécifiques qu’en fonction des diagnostics de l’axe I ou de l’axe II. Enfin, des différences significatives sont présentes entre les hommes et les femmes. / During the past decades, many studies have confirmed the existence of a relationship between severe and persistent mental disorders (SPMD) and the commission of violent crimes. Risk factors associated with violence in mentally disordered violent offenders are: alcohol and drug consumption, depression and personality disorders. However, no study has been conducted among inmates serving short sentences in Québec’s jails, to see if these findings apply to them. Our study attempts to verify whether the same risk factors are associated with violence among psychotic inmates of Quebec’s correctional facilities. The RAMQ and DACOR files of 121 incarcerated offenders were analyzed to answer the research question. To begin, descriptive and bi-variate analyses were conducted. Then, logistic regressions were carried out to identify the best predictors of violent behaviours among Québec’s psychotic offenders. It seems that it is criminal antecedents and psychotropic drugs rather than comorbid mental disorders that distinguish the violent from the non-violent psychotic offenders in Québec’s jails. A possible explanation for this observation is that physicians prescribe drugs in function of the presence of specific symptoms rather than in function of axis I or axis II diagnosis. Moreover, significant differences were found between men and women.

Au cours des dernières décennies, de nombreuses études ont confirmé l’existence d’une relation entre les troubles mentaux graves et persistants (TMGP) et la commission de crimes violents. Les facteurs de risque associés à la violence chez les gens atteints de TMGP sont la consommation d’alcool ou de drogues, la dépression et les troubles de personnalité. Cependant, aucune étude n’a été faite auprès des détenus des prisons québécoises, c’est-à-dire, des détenus qui purgent des sentences de courte durée, afin de voir si ces constats s’appliquent aussi à cette population. La présente étude tente de vérifier si les mêmes facteurs de risque sont liés à la violence chez les détenus psychotiques des prisons du Québec. Les dossiers de la RAMQ et du système DACOR de 121 détenus ont été analysés afin de répondre à la question de recherche. Tout d’abord, des analyses statistiques descriptives et bivariées ont été effectuées. Par la suite, des régressions logistiques ont été menées afin d’identifier les meilleurs prédicteurs de comportements violents chez les contrevenants psychotiques des prisons québécoises. Il semble que ce soit davantage les antécédents judiciaires ainsi que la médication psychotrope qui a été prescrite, plutôt que les diagnostics de troubles mentaux comorbides, qui distinguent les détenus psychotiques violents des non-violents dans les prisons québécoises. Une explication possible à cette observation est que les médecins prescriraient plus en fonction de la présence de certains symptômes spécifiques qu’en fonction des diagnostics de l’axe I ou de l’axe II. Enfin, des différences significatives sont présentes entre les hommes et les femmes. / During the past decades, many studies have confirmed the existence of a relationship between severe and persistent mental disorders (SPMD) and the commission of violent crimes. Risk factors associated with violence in mentally disordered violent offenders are: alcohol and drug consumption, depression and personality disorders. However, no study has been conducted among inmates serving short sentences in Québec’s jails, to see if these findings apply to them. Our study attempts to verify whether the same risk factors are associated with violence among psychotic inmates of Quebec’s correctional facilities. The RAMQ and DACOR files of 121 incarcerated offenders were analyzed to answer the research question. To begin, descriptive and bi-variate analyses were conducted. Then, logistic regressions were carried out to identify the best predictors of violent behaviours among Québec’s psychotic offenders. It seems that it is criminal antecedents and psychotropic drugs rather than comorbid mental disorders that distinguish the violent from the non-violent psychotic offenders in Québec’s jails. A possible explanation for this observation is that physicians prescribe drugs in function of the presence of specific symptoms rather than in function of axis I or axis II diagnosis. Moreover, significant differences were found between men and women.