Criminal Justice

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10530/431

Browse

Browsing Criminal Justice by Author "Kwela, Ernest Nasiba"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Correctional supervision: a penological inquiry
    (2010) Kwela, Ernest Nasiba; Potgieter, P.J.; Khoza, V.I.
    This study is intended to assess correctional supervision in the KwaZulu- Natal province, since the inception of correctional supervision in the early 1990s and also to investigate the political, economic and societal changes that resulted in the development of diverse perceptions (opinions). Relevant Acts (or legislation) and reports of government appointed commissions in the field of corrections were also examined for evidence of the prevailing trends. This study is therefore intended to serve two distinct purposes. Firstly, the study assist the community–based offenders to come to a better understanding of themselves as well as the societal norms and values which might improve such offenders’ attitudes and perceptions – provided these are utilised to their full potential. On the other hand, this study assists members of the society to fully understand and interpret the role that they are expected to play in the offender’s rehabilitation process – if rehabilitation of community–based offenders is to be realised successfully. For purposes of clarity, the statement of the problem and accompanying empirical research issues are clearly set out and discussed. The most important concepts and terms relating to correctional supervision as a social phenomenon were also highlighted and/or defined. (vii) Additionally, the present study also investigated various aspects pertaining to theoretical explanations underlying the concept of correctional supervision, the historical background and development of the idea of correctional supervision as a sentencing option, followed by a comparative view of probation and parole in South Africa and around the globe. Methodologically, specific aims (objectives) of the study were stated and hypotheses formulated in search of valid and reliable data. Correctional supervision was also compared with incarceration with a view to show the similarities and dissimilarities, advantages and disadvantages, of these orientations and, most importantly, the potential of correctional supervision to rehabilitate and reintegrate community-based offenders in a safe, secure and humane environment. In undertaking this study, appropriate research methods and techniques were selected and implemented for data analyses purposes. Two different questionnaires namely, for the correctional officers (Annexure A) and for public respondents (Annexure B), were designed and implemented as data capturing instruments. Analyses of perceptions pertaining to correctional supervision as a dependent variable were cross-correlated in respect of two independent (viii) samples: (a) correctional officers and (b) public respondents in two different regions of KwaZulu-Natal. Apart from gender, other independent variables like higher and lower management levels, representing a merger of the rank system of correctional officers, and two artificially created southern and northern regions, were also implemented in subsequent frequency distributions to portray respondents’ evaluations - either positive or negative opinions, towards various facets of correctional supervision. With minor exceptions, the findings of the study overwhelmingly emphasise favourable perceptions towards the present policies in regard to correctional supervision adopted by the Department of Correctional Services in the 2005-White Paper. The conclusions and recommendations are based on data contained in various statistical tables, either included in the text or attached as annexure at the end of this manuscript.