An evaluation of the rehabilitation programmes for youth offenders at Boksburg correctional centre in Gauteng province of South Africa

Abstract

Correctional centres play a vital role in the rehabilitation of offenders. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, crime has increased globally in countries the world over, especially youth crime, although commonly in relation to online activities. Youth offenders are the category of the South African incarcerated population that has been growing rapidly in the first decade of democratic South Africa and has been observed to be continually growing. Despite the efforts by the Department of Correctional Services to rehabilitate the offenders, South Africa’s criminal re-offending rate is at an approximate alarming rate of 87% and has partly been attributed to the rehabilitation programmes in correctional services which have been pointed to be absent or ‘problematic’. Rehabilitation programmes are one of the several endeavours which the Department of Correctional Services has embarked upon in its quest to rehabilitate offenders and reintegrate them into communities as law-abiding citizens. Rehabilitation focusing on offender development, education and training for the youth is therefore key to the prevention of recidivism. The study sought to evaluate the rehabilitation programmes for youth offenders at the Boksburg Correctional Centre in the Gauteng province of South Africa with a view to enhance its perceived impact in reducing re-offending. The objectives of the study were to determine the types of rehabilitation programmes that are rendered to youth offenders; assess the success factors of rehabilitation programmes; analyse the threats to the rehabilitation programmes; and to suggest recommendations that can be adopted to enhance the perceived impact of the rehabilitation programmes for the youth offenders. The study adopted the qualitative research approach and employed the case study design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two (2) educationists, one (1) social worker, one (1) religious officer, one (1) sports officer, and seven (7) youth offenders who were all purposively sampled. Data from the study was thematically analysed. Findings from the study revealed that correctional programmes, offender development programmes, and psychological, social and spiritual programmes are rendered to the youth offenders. The study also established that the success factors to the rehabilitation programmes include human resources, communication and facilities. It was further established that there are threats to the rehabilitation programmes such as communication, facilities, offender development training and financing. The study concluded that while rehabilitation programmes are rendered to the youth offenders, they do not seem compulsory. Further, the study concluded that there are gaps in the laws and regulations regarding participation and attendance of the youth offenders in the programmes, as well as gaps in skills development training programmes which contribute to the ineffectiveness of the rehabilitation programmes. The study recommended that the correctional centre introduces diversified educational programmes and offer skills development training and puts in place rules and regulations regarding the participation and attendance of the youth offenders in the rehabilitation programmes.