Perceptions and experiences of repeat offenders with rehabilitation services: a case study of Glencoe Correctional Centre, KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

Recidivism is a common problem for many countries and rehabilitation services seem to be failing to address the issue of recidivism since there are still high rates of recidivism globally. Both developing and developed countries suffer from the issue of recidivism as it is still increasing. This study aimed to describe the perceptions and experiences of repeat offenders with rehabilitation services. A qualitative research paradigm, specifically using the tradition of interpretivism, was adopted in this study. To collect data from participants, focus group discussions were conducted, consisting of broad questions followed by probes to gain an indepth description of participants and their perceptions of rehabilitation services they previously participated in. Sixteen offenders who were classified as repeat offenders were sampled for and participated in this research study. The thematic analysis method was used to analyse data that were collected from the participants. The main findings of this study revealed that rehabilitation programmes are not yet effective in changing the offenders’ behaviour. They faced many challenges in their first incarceration such as ill-treatment by correctional officials and not receiving the needs to which they were entitled. Factors that were found more contributing to recidivism were: failure of rehabilitation programmes, a low level of education by offenders, substance abuse and mental illness, peer influence, a lack of support and poverty and unemployment after their incarceration. The factors that hinder rehabilitation services within the correctional centres include overcrowding, gangsterism, an unconducive correctional centre environment and corruption and improper conduct by correctional officials. This study recommends that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) should improve the quality of the programmes; they should come up with new strategies for recruiting offenders for rehabilitation programmes, and training for their correctional officials with the new DCS paradigm. This research study further recommends that DCS workers should apply a multidisciplinary approach when rehabilitating offenders.