http://hdl.handle.net/10500/3055 2013-05-20T01:17:10Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/5748 A penological perspective on unit management as a rehabilitation tool for youth offenders Matshaba, Thabiso Donald The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the components of unit management, namely; architecture, case management, risk management and human rights in South African Youth Development Centres. The concept of unit management in correctional centres was adopted by the South African Correctional system in March 1995. However, the formal introduction of the concept was announced by the former Minister of Correctional Services, Dr. Sipho Mzimela, on 16th February 1996. The implementation of unit management was viewed as a vehicle for service delivery in South African correctional centres. Moreover, this concept was also viewed as a strategic move to ensure that corrections and the rehabilitation of inmates, as the core business of the department, are achieved. In an attempt to assess the application of unit management at South African Youth Development Centres, and how unit management influences the rehabilitation of sentenced youth offenders, a descriptive study was conducted to obtain knowledge and perspective from the available literature. In addition to a descriptive study, the researcher employed a quantitative methodology. Using the quantitative approach, data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire. In the case of coding and data analysis, a Statistical Analysis System (SAS) was utilized. In sum, Frequency Tables and Bar Charts were used to simplify the analysis per section and category. The findings from this study revealed that the conditions of detention at Youth Development Centres, specifically the level of overcrowding, influence of old correctional centre structures and the absence of custodial therapists contribute to the violence, violation of basic human rights and failure to rehabilitate youth offenders in these centres. Moreover, the findings also indicate that any efforts to implement the unit management approach proactively fails due to the abovementioned conditions in Youth Development Centres.; Unit management as a rehabilitation tool for youth offenders 2011-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/5696 The role of the department of correctional services in the rehabilitation of child molesters Jonker, Dina Carolina This report is the result of a literature study and questionnaire which gave insight on the role of Department of Correctional Services in the rehabilitation of child molesters. Correctional Services has adopted a new approach, where offenders need to change their negative behavior and be rehabilitated. Corrections have a societal responsibility towards the community to guide the offender on his rehabilitation path. This study was conducted to give a better understanding of rehabilitation to child molesters. It seems that child molesters will re-offend if they are not included in a thorough treatment programme. The purpose of this research is to determine if the Department of Correctional Services delivers on its legal and social responsibility towards the rehabilitation of child molesters. It is evaluated against international benchmarks. In this study the researcher gathered information on the profile of a child molester, the programmes currently available in Correctional Services, and also the involvement of the community in this process. Corrections cannot work alone, and needs the help of the community and leaders in the community to assist it in this process. Correctional Services faces many challenges in order to succeed in the rehabilitation of offenders. Currently there is a shortage of social workers and psychologists in the Department of Correctional Services, and the Department cannot, therefore, fully succeed in its rehabilitative role. Another aspect is that treatment is voluntary, and offenders can decide if they want to become involved or not. Only if the judge decides that the offender must be included in therapy, can he be forced to do so. 2011-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/4725 The role of correctional supervision in curbing overpopulation in prisons Visser, Johannes Gresse The aim of this dissertation is to place the phenomenon of the overpopulation of South African prisons in perspective and to rectify the current situation in search of possible solutions. Since 1981, when this phenomenon reached unmanageable proportions, government has made numerous amnesties. This was only a short-term alleviation of the problem due to the high levels of recidivism. Correctional supervision as a sentence option was advocated by both the Lansdowne and Viljoen Commissions, enacted during 1986 and finally implemented during 1991. Initial expectations soon became blurred by factors such as insufficient development programmes and specialised personnel, enormous caseloads and the exclusion of supervision cases from development programmes. This study endeavours to analyse the current application of correctional supervision to determine the stumbling blocks and to create a foundation for new perspectives and possible solutions. 2009-10-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/4104 A model of performance management for the parole boards in South Africa : a penological perspective Mashabela, Manaso Pelmos One of the fundamental objectives of the criminal justice system in any country is to punish, rehabilitate, deter, incapacitate and reintegrate offenders into communities. The main motive of punishment therefore is to transform criminals into responsible and law-abiding citizens. Parole is acknowledged as an internationally accepted mechanism that allows for the conditional release of offenders from correctional centres into the community and forms one of the most important components of the criminal justice system value chain. The release of the offenders on parole therefore, does not negate the objectives of punishment but entrenches them through setting conditions by which all parolees must abide by. In other words, all offenders released on parole are supervised at all times by parole officials within their communities to ensure that they comply with their conditions. It is for this function- to grant parole to offenders, that the parole boards have been established in different countries. The Department of Correctional Services in South Africa has adopted the independent model of parole which provides for the parole boards that are headed by independent members from the public appointed by the Minister of Correctional Services. Parole is administered by the parole boards and has, as one of its main functions the release of offenders based on their eligibility. The absence of the performance management system for the parole board makes parole board decision making less transparent and government accountability difficult to establish. Performance management systems have been used to strengthen good governance. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the design of a model of performance management of the parole boards in the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa. 2010-10-01T00:00:00Z