Mothers behind bars : challenges experienced relating to child care during incarceration

Abstract

The study’s intent is to explore challenges experienced by incarcerated mothers relating to childcare, based at the Durban Westville Correctional Centre. The theoretic framework of this study encompasses the Relational Theory, the Gendered Pathways Theory, and the General Strain Theory. This research utilises the qualitative research technique. Semi-structured, open-ended interviewing was concluded with 15 incarcerated mothers based at the Durban Westville Correctional Centre using the probability sampling technique.The relationship between a mother and her children is of paramount importance, even for incarcerated mothers. However, incarcerated mothers are unable to tend to their childcare responsibilities due to their physical and emotional limitations presented by incarceration. Incarcerated mothers in this study expressed their challenges experienced and their need for rehabilitation programmes to help them mitigate their childcare challenges. The research reveals that some of the incarcerated mothers have experienced traumatic backgrounds inclusive of emotional strains, financial impediments, verbal abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse prior to their incarceration. Their challenges exacerbate whilst incarcerated and literature referred to denotes that their challenges continue post-release. Rehabilitation and reintegration of the offender have become the primary focus for the Department of Correctional Services seeing that its scope of service has shifted from a system of “control” to that of rehabilitation. The study indicates gaps in the rehabilitation programmes offered by the Department. Further, the study intends to make recommendations to the Department of Correctional Services on implementing rehabilitation programmes that aid and support a healthy mother and child bond. Such programmes would assist by enlightening, educating and encouraging incarcerated mothers to tighten and protect unions with their children and for the Department to offer special visitation programmes that aid such a process

Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukuhlola izinselele ezitholwa omama ababoshiwe ngokuphathelene nokunakekelwa kwezingane, esekelwe eThekwini West Correctional Centre. Uhlaka lwama-theoretic walolu cwaningo luhlanganisa i-Theory Theory, i-Gendered Pathways Theory, ne-General Strain Theory. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzisa indlela yokucwaninga yekhwalithi. Izingxoxo ezinemihlangano evulekile, evuliwe ziphelile nabomama abangu-15 ababoshiwe base-Durban Westville Correctional Centre basebenzisa inqubo yokwenza isampula. Ubuhlobo phakathi komama nezingane zakhe bubaluleke kakhulu, ngisho nakumama ababoshiwe. Kodwa-ke, omama ababoshiwe abakwazi ukuthambekela emithwalweni yabo yokunakekelwa kwengane ngenxa yokwehluleka kwabo ngokomzimba nangokomzwelo okuvezwe ukuboshwa. Owesifazane abangenalutho kulolu cwaningo babonisa izinselele zabo abahlangabezana nazo kanye nesidingo sabo sokuvuselela izinhlelo zokusiza ekunciphiseni izinselelo zabo zokunakekela izingane. Ucwaningo lwembula ukuthi abanye omama ababoshiwe baye babhekana nezizinda ezibuhlungu ezihlanganisa izinkinga zomzwelo, izithiyo zemali, ukuhlukunyezwa ngamazwi, ukuxhashazwa ngokomzimba nokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi ngaphambi kokuboshwa kwabo. Izinselelo zabo zikhungatheka kanti iziboshwa ezibhekiswe kuzo zikhomba ukuthi izinselele zabo ziqhubeka nokukhululwa. Ukuvuselelwa nokubuyiselwa kabusha kwalowo owenze iphutha kuye kwaba yiyona ndlela eyinhloko eMnyangweni Wezokwelulekwa Kwezempilo ngokubona ukuthi izinga labo lensizakalo lishintshile ohlelweni "lokulawula" kulokho lokuvuselelwa. Ucwaningo lubonisa izikhala ezinhlelweni zokuvuselela ezinikezwe uMnyango. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lolu cwaningo luhlose ukwenza izincomo eMnyangweni Wezokwelulekwa Kwezokuqondisa ekusetshenzisweni izinhlelo zokuvuselela ezisiza nokusekela ukuboshwa komama nengane. Izinhlelo ezinjalo zizosiza ekukhanyiseni, ekufundiseni nasekukhuthazeni omama ababoshiwe ukuqinisa nokuvikela izinyunyana nezingane zabo kanye noMnyango ukuhlinzeka ngezinhlelo ezikhethekile zokuvakashelwa ezisiza.

Injongo yesifundo kukuphanda iingxaki ezinokubanjwa koomama abavalelwe ngokubhekiselele ekunakekeleni abantwana, esekelwe kwi-Durban West Correctional Centre. Isikhokelo sobugcisa beli phofu siquka iNkcazo yobudlelwane, iNkcazelo yeGendered Ways, kunye ne-General Strain Theory. Olu phando lusebenzisa ubuchule bokuphanda. Iingxowa-ndlebe ezivulekileyo, ezivulekileyo zagqitywa kunye noomama abathunjiweyo aba-15 basekelwe e-Durban West Correctional Centre basebenzisa ubuchule bokuncedisa. Ubudlelwane phakathi koomama nabantwana bakhe bubaluleke kakhulu, kwanokuba boomama abavalelwe. Nangona kunjalo, oomama abavalelwa bengenakukwazi ukunyamekela uxanduva lwabo lokunakekela abantwana ngenxa yokunciphisa ngokomzimba nangokomzwelo owenziwe ngokubanjwa. Oomama abangabandakanyekanga kulolu cwaningo babonisa imingeni yabo kunye neemfuno zabo zokuphucula iinkqubo zokubanceda ukunciphisa imingeni yokunakekela abantwana. Uphando luyabonisa ukuba abanye babamama abavalelwe bavaleleke kwimvelaphi ephazamisayo, kuquka imingcipheko yemvakalelo, iimingcipheko zemali, ukuxhaphazwa ngamagama, ukusetyenziswa kakubi ngokomzimba nokuxhaphazwa ngokwesondo ngaphambi kokuvalelwa. Imingeni yabo inzima xa iboshwe kunye neencwadi ezibhekiswe kuzo zibonisa ukuba imingeni yabo iyaqhubeka yokukhululwa. Ukubuyiselwa kwakhona nokubuyiswa kwakhona komenzi wesono kuye kwaba yintloko ekujoliswe kuyo kwiSebe leeNkonzo zoLuleko ekuboneni ukuba ububanzi beenkonzo sele buyekelele kwinkqubo "yokulawula" leyo yokubuyiswa. Uphononongo lubonisa izikhala kwiiprogram zokuvuselela ezinikezelwa liSebe. Ukuqhubela phambili, isifundo sinenjongo yokwenza iingcebiso kwiSebe leeNkonzo zoLuleko ekuphunyezweni iinkqubo zokubuyisela ukuxhasa nokuxhasa unxibelelwano lomama nomntwana. Ezi nkqubo zinokuncedisa ngokukhanyisa, ukufundisa nokukhuthaza oomama abavalelwe ukuqinisa kunye nokukhusela iimanyano nabantwana babo kunye neSebe ukwenzela iinkqubo zokutyelela ezikhethekileyo.