The Rehabilitation of the Inmate Young Offenders and Education system: Offenders Perspective in South Africa

Young offenders

Abstract

Young people in South Africa are increasingly turning to crime. Unfortunately, they must face the law after being caught and they incarcerated in correctional service centres. The study explored the educational programmes in the rehabilitation of learner (IYO) in the Bizzah Makhate Management Area in the Free State Province of South Africa.  Participants were a purposive sample of six youth offenders (age 14-25). The Youth offenders completed semi-structured interviews on their sense of community. Thematic analysis indicated the windows to experience social isolation, loneliness, humiliation, and violation of rights in dealing with their grief and loss. Furthermore, the correctional services teachers completed the open-ended questionnaire. The study indicated that indeed there are educational programs taking place and they correlate with what emanated from the Inmate Young Offenders (IYO) formal education is taking place for the offenders to improve their lives. The study further indicates that although there is a formal education there are many other challenges about the educational programs that other studies have mentioned even in this one the offenders pointed them out like lack resources and shortage of staff. The study also revealed that the rehabilitation program plays a critical role in reduces gangs and fights to the entire community. The collaboration of the state, community, family members of the offenders, churches, traditional leaders, and non-profit organizations will assist in helping the Youth for rehabilitation purposes.