Exploration recidivism among male ex-offenders in the Johannesburg metropolitan area

Abstract

South Africa continues to experience an increase in crime rate that is arguably linked to the high rate of recidivism. It is of great concern that the key purpose (i.e., to reduce crime) of correctional system is producing the opposite effect of recidivism. It is important not to haphazardly study the high rate of recidivism among male ex-offenders but also to understand their lived experiences. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of male ex-offenders in the Johannesburg metropolitan areas of Soweto and Ormonde. Literature seems to suggest that factors such as unemployment, peer pressure, the pressure of being a man and the struggles of reintegration, including judgement and acceptance from the community, friends and family among others, contribute to recidivism. The analytical framework for the study comprised two theories, which are Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and the Labelling Theory by Howard Becker. An interpretivist paradigm was adopted to understand the multiple realities that exist around recidivism of male ex-offenders. A qualitative method was utilised to explore factors that contribute to recidivism. Six participants aged between 32 and 41 years participated in the study. Data was collected using semi structured, open-ended interviews. Due to the sensitivity of this study, snowball and purposive sampling techniques were used to select participants. The participants had previously reoffended more than once due to the challenges, such as the previous criminal record, unemployment, stigmatisation by the community and the struggle of providing for their family. In order to get full insight of the participants lived experiences, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method was used to analyse data. This method of analysis allowed me to narrow down large amount of data into five meaningful themes, and categories. The identified themes were relevant to the research questions, and these included motivation behind recidivism (theme 1), life in Johannesburg as an ex-offender (theme 2), notions of reoffending (theme 3), reintegration and acceptance – a sense of belonging (theme 4), rejection and lack of support (theme 5). The findings of this research can contribute to existing research that has been conducted by others in exploring the lived experiences of male ex-offenders that have contributed to recidivism.

Suid-Afrika ervaar steeds 'n toename in misdaadsyfers wat verband hou met die hoë koerse van herhaling. Dit wek groot kommer dat die sleuteldoel van fasiliteite soos die korrektiewe stelsel om misdaad te verminder, gelei het tot 'n stryd om die gewenste uitkoms te lewer. Dit is belangrik om nie net die hoë koerse van herhaling onder manlike oud-oortreders te bestudeer nie, maar ook om hul geleefde ervarings te verstaan. Die primêre doel van hierdie studie was om die geleefde ervarings van manlike oud-oortreders in die Johannesburgse metropolitaanse gebiede van Soweto en Ormonde te verken. Die studie het gefokus op die begrip van residivisme vanuit die perspektief van manlike eks-oortreders, en hul motivering vir voorheen heroortreding. Verskeie faktore soos werkloosheid, groepsdruk, die druk om 'n man te wees en die stryd van herintegrasie, insluitend oordeel en aanvaarding deur die gemeenskap, vriende en familie onder andere, is geïdentifiseer. Die analitiese raamwerk vir die studie het twee teorieë bestaan, naamlik Albert Bandura se Sosiale Leerteorie en die Etiketteringsteorie deur Howard Becker. Interpretivisme is as die navorsingsparadigma aanvaar om die veelvuldige realiteite wat bestaan met betrekking tot die residivisme van manlike oud-oortreders te verstaan. 'n Kwalitatiewe metode is gebruik om die faktore wat bydraende faktore van oud-oortreders wat heroortree, te verstaan. Ses deelnemers van tussen 32 en 41 jaar het aan hierdie studie deelgeneem. Data is ingesamel met behulp van oop onderhoudvrae oor manlike oud-oortreders. Die deelnemers is gekies deur gebruik te maak van beide die sneeubal- en doelgerigte steekproeftegnieke. Die mans het voorheen meer as een keer heroortree weens die uitdagings van ’n vorige kriminele rekord, werkloosheid, stigmatisering deur die gemeenskap en die stryd om vir hul gesin te voorsien. Die data is ontleed deur gebruik te maak van die Interpretatiewe Fenomenologiese Analise metode om volle insig te kry van die deelnemers se geleefde ervarings en het dan die groot hoeveelheid data in vyf betekenisvolle temas en kategorieë vernou.Die geïdentifiseerde temas was relevant tot die navorsingsvrae, insluitend motivering agter residivisme (Tema 1), lewe in Johannesburg as 'n voormalige oortreder (Tema 2), idees van heroortreding (Tema 3), herintegrasie en aanvaarding – 'n gevoel van behoort (Tema 4), en verwerping en gebrek aan ondersteuning (Tema 5). Die bevindinge van hierdie navorsing kan bydra tot bestaande navorsing wat deur ander gedoen is om die geleefde ervarings van manlike eks-oortreders wat tot herhaling bygedra het, te ondersoek.

Aforika Borwa e tswelapele ho ba le keketseho ya sekgahla sa botlokotsebe se hokahaneng le sekgahla se hodimo sa phetohelo. Hoa tšoenya haholo hore morero oa bohlokoa oa ho ba le litsi tse kang tsamaiso ea khalemelo ho fokotsa botlokotsebe o bakile ntoa ea ho hlahisa sephetho se lakatsehang. Ho bohlokoa ho se ithute feela litekanyetso tse phahameng tsa ho pheta-pheta har'a banna bao e kileng ea e-ba litlokotsebe empa hape le ho utloisisa liphihlelo tsa bona tse phelang. Sepheo sa mantlha sa phuputso ena e ne e le ho hlahloba liphihlelo tsa banna bao e neng e le batlōli ba molao litoropong tsa Johannesburg tsa Soweto le Ormonde. Boithuto bo ne bo tsepamisitse maikutlo ho utloisiseng ho pheta-pheta ho tsoa ponong ea banna bao e kileng ea e-ba batlōli ba molao, le sepheo sa bona sa ho khopisa pele. Lintlha tse 'maloa tse kang ho hloka mosebetsi, khatello ea lithaka, khatello ea ho ba monna le mathata a ho tsosolosoa, ho kenyeletsa kahlolo le ho amoheloa ke sechaba, metsoalle le lelapa har'a tse ling, li ile tsa khetholloa. Moralo oa tlhahlobo oa thuto o na le likhopolo tse peli, e leng Khopolo ea Albert Bandura ea Thuto ea Sechaba le Khopolo ea Ho Ngola ka Howard Becker. Interpretivism e ile ea amoheloa e le paradigm ea lipatlisiso ho utloisisa linnete tse ngata tse teng mabapi le ho pheta-pheta ha batlōli ba molao ba banna. Ho ile ha sebelisoa mokhoa oa boleng ho utloisisa mabaka a tlatselletsang hore batlōli ba khale ba khopise. Barupeluoa ba tšeletseng ba pakeng tsa lilemo tse 32 le 41 ba nkile karolo phuputsong ena. Lintlha li ile tsa bokelloa ho sebelisoa lipotso tsa lipuisano tse bulehileng ho banna bao e neng e le batlōli ba molao. Barupeluoa ba khethiloe ho sebelisoa mekhoa ea ho thella lehloa le mekhoa e metle ea ho etsa lisampole. Banna bana ba ne ba kile ba siteloa ka makhetlo a fetang le le leng ka lebaka la liphephetso tsa tlaleho ea pele ea tlōlo ea molao, ho hloka mosebetsi, ho khesoa ke sechaba le ho loanela ho hlokomela malapa a bona. Lintlha li ile tsa hlahlobjoa ho sebelisoa mokhoa oa Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ho fumana temohisiso e felletseng ea barupeluoa ba phetseng liphihlelo ebe ba fokotsa palo e kholo ea data ka lihlooho tse hlano tse nang le moelelo, le mekhahlelo. Lihlooho tse khethiloeng li ne li amana le lipotso tsa lipatlisiso, tse kenyeletsang tšusumetso ea ho pheta-pheta (Tema ea 1), bophelo ba Johannesburg e le mofosi oa khale (Tema 2), maikutlo a ho fosa hape (Tema ea 3), ho kopanya bocha le ho amoheloa - maikutlo a ho ba setho sa motho (Morero oa 2). 4), le ho khesoa le ho hloka tšehetso (Theme 5). Liphuputso tsa phuputso ena li ka kenya letsoho liphuputsong tse seng li ntse li le teng tse entsoeng ke ba bang ho hlahloba liphihlelo tse phelang tsa banna bao e kileng ea e-ba batlōli ba molao ba tlatselitseng ho pheta-pheta.