Correctional education designed for female inmate rehabilitation : a qualitative analysis of a marginalised group within the Ethekwini municipality

Abstract

A qualitative exploratory study developed on global literature and research investigates female inmates' perspectives concerning correctional education programmes presented whilst incarcerated. Worldwide studies have hypothesised some conclusions which add to the recognition and understanding of the development and implementation of correctional education. This study builds on such understandings to provide a unique insight into the life of South African female inmate learners. The study outcomes add to the framework of information on female correctional education, a topic that has garnered little attention globally and in South Africa. According to the White Paper on Corrections in South Africa (2005), the Department of Correctional Services is cognisant of gender dynamics and female inmates special needs. The study's primary research question is: what are the female inmate learners' perceptions relating to their learning experiences from correctional education programmes offered whilst incarcerated? The study is informed by three major theoretical frameworks: feminist theory, restorative justice theory, and rehabilitation theory. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with seventeen study participants (fourteen female inmate learners and three inmate facilitators) at the Durban Westville Correctional Centre, located within the EThekwini Municipality in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Discussions extrapolate female inmate learner perspectives in a female correctional school and factors affecting the female correctional education experience. The findings demonstrate that international and national laws and guidelines are largely "written documents" without effective implementation. There is a pervasive lack of educational staff, resources, infrastructure, gender sensitivity, and efficient and adequate education programmes. The study recommendations include effective policy making to address rehabilitation, the need for financial support, key stakeholders working together, a female-centered educational and rehabilitation plan, a need for a feminist criminologist, and a call for qualified education personnel.

Ucwaningo lokuhlola olusezingeni eliphezulu olwenziwa ezincwadini zomhlaba wonke kanye nocwaningo luphenya imibono yeziboshwa zabesifazane mayelana nezinhlelo zemfundo yokuhlunyeleliswa kwezimilo ezethulwa ngesikhathi ziboshiwe. Izifundo zomhlaba wonke ziye zalinganisa iziphetho ezithile ezengeza ekuqashelweni nasekuqondeni ukuthuthukiswa nokuqaliswa kwemfundo yokuqondiswa kwezimilo. Lolu cwaningo lwakhela phezu kokuqonda okunjalo ukuze kunikeze ukuqonda okuyingqayizivele ngempilo yomfundi wesifazane oyisiboshwa waseNingizimu Afrika. Okutholwe yilolu cwaningo kwengeza olwazini olumayelana nemfundo yokuqondiswa kwezigwegwe kwabesifazane, okuyisihloko esinganakwa kakhulu emhlabeni naseNingizimu Afrika. NgokoMqulu Womthetho Wokuhlunyeleliswa Kwezimilo eNingizimu Afrika (2005), uMnyango Wezokuhlunyeleliswa kwezimilo uyaqaphela ukuguquguquka kobulili kanye nezidingo ezikhethekile zeziboshwa zesifazane. Umbuzo oyinhloko wocwaningo uthi: iyiphi imibono yabafundi besifazane ababoshiwe mayelana nolwazi lwabo lokufunda ezinhlelweni zemfundo yokuhlunyeleliswa kwezimilo ezihlinzekwa ngesikhathi beboshiwe? Ucwaningo lusekelwe yizinhlaka zetiyori ezintathu ezinkulu: ithiyori yabesifazane, ithiyori yokubuyisela ubulungiswa, kanye nethiyori yokuvuselela. Kwenziwa inhlolokhono ejulile nabayishumi nesikhombisa (abafundi besifazane abayishumi nane nabagqugquzeli abathathu) eDurban Westville Correctional Centre, engaphakathi kuMasipala weTheku esifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali. Izingxoxo ziveza imibono yomfundi oyisiboshwa wesifazane esikoleni sokuqondisa izigwegwe kanye nezici ezithinta ulwazi lwemfundo yokuqondiswa kwezimilo. Okutholakele kubonisa ukuthi imithetho neziqondiso zamazwe ngamazwe kanye nezezwe ngokuyinhloko "ziyimibhalo ebhaliwe" ngaphandle kokuqaliswa ngempumelelo. Kunokuntuleka okukhulu kwabasebenzi bezemfundo, izinsiza, ingqalasizinda, ukuzwela ngokobulili, kanye nezinhlelo zemfundo eziphumelelayo nezanele.

Uphononongo lophononongo olusemgangathweni oluphuhliswe kuncwadi lwehlabathi kunye nophando luphanda iimbono zamabanjwa abhinqileyo malunga neenkqubo zemfundo yoluleko eziboniswa ngelixa eseluvalelweni. Uphononongo lwehlabathi lonke luye lwaqikelela ezinye izigqibo eziye zongeza ukuqondwa nokuqonda uphuhliso nokuphunyezwa kwemfundo yoluleko. Olu phononongo lwakhela phezu kokuqonda okunjalo ukunika ingqiqo eyodwa kubomi bomfundi wasebanjwa obhinqileyo waseMzantsi Afrika. Iziphumo zolu phando zongeza kulwazi oluninzi ngemfundo yoluleko yabasetyhini, isihloko esithe safumana ingqwalasela encinci kwihlabathi jikelele naseMzantsi Afrika. NgokwePhepha leNgcaciso yoMgaqo-nkqubo woLuleko eMzantsi Afrika (ka-2005), iSebe leeNkonzo zoLuleko liyaziqonda iinguqu zesini kunye neemfuno ezikhethekileyo zamabanjwa angabasetyhini. Umbuzo ongundoqo wolu phando ngulo: zithini iimbono zabafundi ababhinqileyo abakwibanjwa elimalunga namava abo okufunda kwiiprogram zemfundo yoluleko abazifundiswayo ngelixa bevalelwe? Uphononongo lusekelwe kwizicwangciso ezintathu eziphambili zethiyori: ithiyori yobufazi, ithiyori yokubuyisela kwisimo sobulungisa, kunye nethiyori yokubuyisela kwisimo sangaphambili. Udliwano-ndlebe olunzulu olufanelekileyo lwaqhutywa kunye nabathathi-nxaxheba abalishumi elinesixhenxe (abafundi ababhinqileyo abalishumi elinesine nabaququzeleli abangamabanjwa abathathu) kwiZiko loLuleko laseDurban Westville, elingaphakathi kuMasipala we-EThekwini kwiphondo laKwaZulu-Natal. Iingxoxo zibalaselisa iimbono zabafundi abakwibanjwa elibhinqileyo kwisikolo soluleko esibhinqileyo kunye nemiba echaphazela amava emfundo yoluleko yabasetyhini. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba imithetho yamazwe ngamazwe neyesizwe nezikhokelo ubukhulu becala "ngamaxwebhu abhaliweyo" ngaphandle kokuphunyezwa ngokufanelekileyo. Kukho ukunqongophala okugqugqisileyo kwabasebenzi bezemfundo, izibonelelo, iziseko zophuhliso, uvakalelo ngokwesini, kunye neenkqubo zemfundo ezifanelekileyo nezifanelekileyo.