- Title
- Societal attitudes towards previously incarcerated individuals in Mdantsane Township (N.U.2), Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Creator
- Mathebe, Nosiphiwo
- Subject
- Prisoners
- Subject
- Ex-convicts
- Subject
- Prisoners' writings, South African (English)
- Date
- 2020-06
- Type
- Master's theses
- Type
- text
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27128
- Identifier
- vital:66305
- Description
- The study explored the societal attitudes towards previously incarcerated individuals in Mdantsane Township N.U.2, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study aimed to achieve the following specific objectives: i. To establish the attitudes of the Mdantsane N.U.2 selected residents towards previously incarcerated individuals ii. To assess the kinds of treatment meted by the selected Mdantsane residents towards the previously incarcerated individuals; and iii). To establish the structural challenges that previously incarcerated individuals experience that impedes integration into their society. The study utilized a qualitative paradigm as guided by the qualitative research approach; and adopted a case study design. It employed interviews with previously incarcerated individuals and key informants, and focus groups with community members. An interview guide was used as a data collection instrument. The study used non-probability sampling, with purposive and snow-ball sampling techniques being utilized. The population of the study was made up of eighteen 18 participants, which comprised of six 6 previously incarcerated individuals, and ten 10 selected community members. The latter included ordinary people within the community, selected because they represent the community and societal attitudes to previously incarcerated individuals within their society. The two 2 key informants (Probation Officers) were selected on the basis of their understanding of offender reintegration, families and society. The data was analysed qualitatively through content thematic analysis. The study revealed the following findings: i. Trust deficits characterized the relations between previously incarcerated individuals and the society; ii. Previously incarcerated individuals were labelled and often called thieves and criminals; iii. Poor socio-economic conditions structural conditions and systemic issues trigger previously incarcerated individual’s recidivism; iv). Previously incarcerated individuals resorted to criminal and corrupt practices for an income; v. Criminal record proved to be a stumbling block in the previously incarcerated individuals’ employment opportunities; vi. Previously incarcerated individuals obtained employment through familial connections and being self-employed; v. Community attitudes ran counter to previously incarcerated individuals’ rehabilitation and reintegration efforts; vi. The community dissuaded previously incarcerated individual’s reintegration; and vii). Integrated state intervention was recommended as a sure way to bolster effective reintegration of previously incarcerated individuals to their community. The following recommendations emerge from the study The need for additional recruitment of a variety of disciplines to work with the Department of Correctional Services to ease the reintegration process of previously incarcerated individuals Using stakeholders’ synergy to expedite previously incarcerated individual’s reintegration Community stakeholders holding awareness sessions on offender reintegration amongst communities and expediting victim- offender-family rehabilitation. The researcher hopes that the accomplishment of objectives will aid the government and the pertinent stakeholders in fighting the negative attitudes that hinder the success of previously incarcerated individual’s reintegration.
- Description
- Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2020
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- application/pdf
- Format
- 1 online resource (xi, 111 leaves)
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Fort Hare
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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Collections
UFH Department of Social Work & Social Development
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | NOSIPHIWO MATHEBE DESERTATION.pdf | 916 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |