Theses and Dissertations (Corrections Management)

Permanent URI for this collection

https://uir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/20026

Browse

Now showing 1 - 5 of 15

An explorative study of victims’ participatory rights in parole decisions in the province of Gauteng, South Africa
(2024-11) Makgoba, Mosima Christina Julith; Sibanyoni, E. K.
When it comes to parole decisions issued by South African Parole Boards, victims’ rights are not clearly defined. The study utilised the expertise of twenty-one (21) parole members from five (5) Parole Boards in the province of Gauteng in South Africa, to provide insight about victims' participatory rights in parole decisions. This research investigated how certain rights that are relevant under the Victims’ Charter are excluded from victims' participation in parole hearings. Victims' lack of knowledge of their rights in the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) process cannot be taken out of context, since the low turnout of victims in processes supports the contention that the parole system is ineffective. The rights of victims have limitations in South African Parole Boards, and certain rights protected by the Victims’ Charter and the South African Constitution are not addressed. Legislation should be reviewed to incorporate compensation and restitution as guaranteed rights when victims attend parole hearings. This study adopted a qualitative approach, and utilised semi-structured interviews as a tool to gather data regarding the rights of victims when they participate in parole hearings. Data was thematically organised throughout the analysis process to align with the objectives of the study. This study is influenced by three important models that helps decision-makers to make well-informed decisions during the decision-making process. These models consist of the procedural justice model, participation model, outcome model, and the balancing model developed by John Thibaut and Lauren Walker in 1975. According to Thibaut and Walker(1975) theories, those in dispute do not believe that procedures are fair. They will try not to give them credibility, but try to avoid using them, and if they are utilised, they are not compelled to accept the outcomes. Furthermore, Leventhal’s six (6) rules of fairness are instrumental for the study because they are guidelines used to determine if victims and offenders are treated fairly when decisions are made in a decision-making process. The findings of the study on administrative expertise show that DCS staff members and senior officials in the roles of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Parole Board have extensive knowledge in DCS procedures. However, subordinates lacked this knowledge, particularly community members. Legislative education is necessary for community members making decisions in order to achieve realistic parole hearing results. Victims lack of interest in participating in procedures is a challenge that the DCS needs to continually address in its organisational conferences. Victims who are at risk of being victimised should not be requested to attend parole hearings, since this would be viewed as reluctance to engage in DCS procedures, and the use of victim impact statements should be promoted. In South Africa, Parole Boards at present base their decisions mostly on the development of offenders while they are inside, rather than factors that might increase rates of recidivism in the community. As a result, victims find the parole system complicated. Fairness, openness, and consistency in procedures should be practiced by the DCS to maintain public trust. The study presented a brief overview of every process the DCS employs to include victims in parole decisions. The research also underlined the need of providing the DCS employees such as social workers, community members, and social auxiliary workers priority. The rights of victims must always come first in all departmental processes, including the parole process, to guarantee that offenders adhere to the terms of their release and that victims regain trust in the DCS. The study focused on legislation that secure the rights of victims and vulnerable individuals throughout the parole process. The findings of the study included recommendations for an effective parole system that would take into account the rights of victims in the province of Gauteng, and incorporate certain rights that victims are not granted at parole hearings, but that are necessary for them to recuperate from the effects of crimes.
Recidivists’ perceptions of the effectiveness of correctional programmes at the Baviaanspoort Management Area
(2024-07-24) Setshedi, Annah Mokgaetsi; Fitz, Lincoln Gustav
Correctional programmes have emerged as one of the most preferred ways of combating high rates of recidivism in the criminal justice system in South Africa. Since the drastic increase in crime rates globally, the South African corrections system contributes to the reduction of recidivism by exposing more offenders to correctional programmes. The numbers of recidivist in the South African corrections system have been on the increase since the advent of democracy in South Africa. While there is tangible evidence of the implementation of correctional programmes in South African correctional centres, recidivism rates in South Africa remain high. Rehabilitation efforts to alter offender criminal behaviour are consequently fundamental to curb recidivism. The study intended to capture the perceptions of recidivists on the effectiveness of correctional programmes at the Baviaanspoort Management Area in Gauteng Region. The objectives of the study were to determine the correctional programmes that are used by the Baviaanspoort Management Area to support the preparation of offenders for release; determine the suitability of correctional programmes used by the DCS during the pre-release process; establish offenders’ perceptions of the effectiveness of correctional programmes after release and pinpoint strategies to strengthen correctional programmes that could help offenders avoid reoffending after their release. The study used qualitative method to collect data in the form of two focus group interviews. The focus groups were conducted with recidivists incarcerated at the Baviaanspoort medium correctional centre and the Baviaanspoort maximum correctional centre who were all purposively sampled. A thematic analysis was applied to create categories, sub-themes, and themes. The study findings established that recidivists at the Baviaanspoort Management Area attended and completed the correctional programmes on offer in the correctional centres. The study was able to establish that most of the recidivists participated in and completed the correctional programmes. It was also established that factors such as need-based programmes, use of offender’s home languages and special programme for parole violators are important in making the Baviaanspoort Management Area’s correctional programmes suitable. The study findings further established that the Baviaanspoort Management Area’s correctional centres are challenged by elements such as poor learning support material, poor learning assessment, overcrowding, and use of (unqualified) offenders as facilitators. The study concludes that the correctional programmes are not mandatory and are not prescribed by either psychologists or social workers, there is an absence of well-structured correctional programmes, there is little or no of use Learning and Teaching Materials (LTSM) in the facilitation of correctional programmes and the correctional programmes need to match offenders’ offending behaviour. Recommendations for future research included the review of the current correctional programmes by the DCS. Future research should also cover correctional officials and service providers involved in the facilitation of correctional programmes and their exposure to continuous development programmes. In addition, future research needs to explore the effects of the elements associated with teaching and learning processes in the facilitation of the correctional programmes.
A penological study of the role of nongovernmental Organisations in the Rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders
(2022-02-28) Labane, Aaron; Cilliers, C.
The usage of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in criminal justice can help to alleviate the problem of overburdening professionals like parole officials and probation officers. They can also help with a task that requires a high level of professional knowledge and competence in order to reduce the demands on professional people's time. Department of Correctional Services must acknowledge the significant impact that an outside role player can make. The Department of Correctional Services must improve its capacities and rely on non-governmental entities to provide services due to its limited size. Several nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in South Africa work both inside and outside of correctional institutions with convicts, ex-offenders, and their families. The researcher discusses the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders in South Africa and foreign correctional systems in three countries: Canada, the United States of America, and Namibia. In the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into penal systems, each country makes use of external role actors such as NGOs. Several correctional institutions rely on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support personnel in various programs for offender rehabilitation and reintegration. The fact that the South African Department of Correctional Services does not place a strong emphasis on aspects such as reintegration to work, and that Non-Governmental Organizations play a decisive role in such matters, necessitated research into the role of non-governmental organizations in the criminal justice system. Effective reintegration programs are time-consuming, expensive, and require skilled personnel. The White Paper on Corrections and the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 do not provide rules that educate policies that control the role of non-governmental organizations in rehabilitation programs so that all NGOs are aware of their responsibilities. Its open-door strategy does not help it gain additional funding from nongovernmental organizations. There is no provision for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with professional skills and their functions in the Department of Correctional Services, the professional society for NGOs in criminal justice, and so on. This study involved an extensive literature review that looked at the role of NGOs in the criminal justice system on a global and national level, as well as standards for the treatment of criminals and a variety of rehabilitation programs offered by NGOs.
Correlates of recidivism among released prisoners, a study of Kakamega County, Kenya
(2020-03-19) Oruta, Evans Makori; Luyt, Willem Frederik Muller
Released prisoners in Kenya have a 75% likelihood of committing another crime and a 50% probability of going to jail two years after their discharge from prison custody. From the trend of recidivism in Kenya, there are a staggeringly high number of offenders being incarcerated and eventually released back to the community, and the high risk of re-arrest and reincarceration is a concern for policymakers, criminologists and correctional managers. This study examined the influence of offender characteristics, offender reintegration and community perception and attitude regarding recidivism in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study adopted a survey research design. Findings reveal a statistically significant relationship between offender characteristics and recidivism. In addition, offender reintegration and community perception and attitude towards offenders greatly influence recidivism. From the study, it is recommended that the government provide correctional officers with the required resources to use the actuarial risk assessment model. The model is applied to the released offenders to predict the future probability of recidivism. In addition, it is recommended that the government and the various correctional stakeholders come up with an integrated approach that specifically targets successful re-entry of offenders upon release from prison. Finally, it is recommended that the government develop programmes targeting awareness of the community members to desist from stigmatising ex-offenders.
The transformation of South African Correctional Centres of Excellence through equitable unit management
(2019-04-29) Masina, Joseph; Luyt, Willem Frederik Muller
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the Unit Management into the South African Correctional Centres of Excellence. The focal point is based on the case management, multi-disciplinary approach, monitoring, and human rights of offenders. Unit Management was adopted into South African correctional system in 1995 under the leadership of the former Minister of Correctional Services Dr Sipho Mzimela. Unit Management was firstly practiced at Goodwood Correctional Centre of Excellence in the Western Cape. The concept of Unit Management was viewed as a strategic change by the Department in ensuring the core business of the Department and the rehabilitation of offenders. In an effort to examine the application of Unit Management into the Correctional Centres of Excellence and how Unit Management influences the rehabilitation of sentenced offenders, a study was conducted to acquire knowledge and perspective from the available literature. In ensuring good and proper work, the researcher employed a qualitative methodology. The researcher collected data by means of structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using SPSS system for statistical reasons. Frequency tables were used to simplify the analysis per section and category. The findings from this study revealed that there is no monitoring of Unit Management taking place into the Correctional Centres of Excellence from management, there is no management involvement. It also revealed that the human rights of offenders are not respected during the implementation of Unit Management. The findings revealed that multi-disciplinary approach is dysfunctional owing to lack of professional staff. The findings also indicate that efforts to implement Unit Management into the Correctional Centres of Excellence are a failure owing to the abovementioned factors.

Browse

Recent Submissions