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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/80063 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Kleinhans, Lizelle Alexis |
| Contributors | Engelbrecht, L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xvii, 203 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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