The rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents : a modified model for use by the church in Heidedal.

Abstract

Young people in South Africa are increasingly turning to crime. The majority of those who fall into this trap are between the ages of twelve and eighteen years. According to the Human Rights Watch World Report on Children' Rights, 'in South Africa despite a November 1997 national program intended to keep children out of prisons, the Minister of Welfare reported in May 1998, that approximately 1,000 children were still detained in prisons with adults', (HRW 2005:3). This idea is even more disturbing if one considers the impact of rehabilitation in prison and how young people will be equipped to become hardened criminals through institutionalization. The focus of the paper will be on the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents in the Heidedal community. Therefore it is important to find out what causes the child to become deviant and to help the child to deal with it. The National Institute of Crime Rehabilitation of Offenders (NICRO), have very good programs for the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents. Unfortunately, these programs do not reach everyone in need, due to the fact that Heidedal does not fall into the geographical area that is being covered by NICRO. Therefore, if we want to help the children in the Heidedal community, the church and society need to get involved in the implementation of rehabilitation programs. The research project will therefore focus on proposing an adapted model, which may be used by the church in an effort to help in the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents within the Heidedal community.