Mbhele, Nkosingiphile Modeccai.Faku, Yolanda.2025-11-152025-11-1520252025https://hdl.handle.net/10413/24089Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Correctional centres in many countries, globally, are notorious for constant overcrowding, unhygienic, and lacking necessary facilities that allow for a dignified existence. In South Africa, it is speculated that inmates in each correctional facility have 2m2 of space between them, which contributes significantly to the transmission of diseases and viruses such as HIV, AIDS, TB, and even COVID-19 in correctional centres. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a viral infection presumed to be developed by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 also mainly known as SARS-Cov-2. This viral infection is considered to be predominantly circulate between people via close contact, aerosols and particles from the air expelled when talking, breathing, or just exhaling, in addition to those generated when coughing or sneezing. In an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19, governments in different countries worldwide introduced protective COVID-19 protocols to which its citizens are to abide by in order to prevent as well as stop the spread of the virus, such as: individuals ought to practice social distancing at all times by avoiding crowded areas, encouraged the normalisation of no-contact greetings, and physically distancing themselves from others; quarantines should one encounter the virus; and travel restrictions. Unfortunately, such rules and regulations may not be easy to practice in correctional facilities due to overcrowding. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of overcrowding on the implementation of the COVID-19 rules and regulations at the Westville Correctional Facility, with the objective of gathering inmates' and administrators' perspectives on the different detrimental effects of overcrowding. Key findings: The COVID-19 rules and regulations were entirely impossible to be appropriately practiced due to the non-permitting environment in correctional facilities, such as the high density population which does not allow for Social Distancing; lack of resources to cater for those who those inmates who needed to be isolated for quarantine purposes; and but not least the inefficient medical assistance as not all inmates test and/or vaccinated. Recommendations: The main issue in correctional facilities is the number of inmates detained in each correctional institution and largely impacts the successes of the inmate’s rehabilitation stages as well as health and mental wellbeing. Therefore, to ensure subsequent housing of inmates, more correctional facilities ought to be built. Also, focus on increasing the availability of mental and physical health services in correctional facilities since COVID-19 brought attention to how vulnerable people in custodial environments are to health hazards, particularly those who already have a medical condition. Building strong healthcare systems in facilities ought to be a primary concern.enCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Prisons overcrowding--Westville Correctional Facility.Prison conditions--Covid-19--Westville Correctional Facility.COVID-19 rules and regulations--Westville Correctional Facility.Incarceration--Covid-19 restrictions--Westville Correctional Facility.Thesis