Abstract
M.A.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has adopted legislation that advocates
for the rehabilitation and humane treatment of offenders. However, high incidences of
assault and inhumane treatment of inmates by correctional officials were reported
between 2005 and 2006. Furthermore the statistics of recidivism in South African
Correctional Institutions is estimated to be more than 50% indicating that the
rehabilitation of inmates in correctional institutes is of limited success. The aim of this
study is to provide some insight into the ill-treatment of offenders as well as the rationale
behind the high rate of recidivism in the South African Correctional institution by
exploring the attitudes of correctional officials towards the rehabilitation and humane
treatment of offenders. Understanding the attitudes of the correctional officials could be a
crucial first step in understanding the ill-treatment and abuse of offenders by correctional
officials and the limited success of offender rehabilitation as these attitudes have the
potential to promote or hinder the successful implementation of the new legislation in this
regard.
An exploratory research survey was conducted among a sample of correctional officials
at Leeuwkop Correctional Institution. The sample consisted of 121 male and 61 female
correctional officials. The participants were selected from all major racial groups in
South Africa (black, white, coloured and indian). Data was collected by means of a
survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed by the researcher to elicit the
overall attitude of correctional officials towards rehabilitation and humane treatment of
offenders (whether it was positive or negative). In addition the factors that could
potentially influence the attitude of correctional officials towards rehabilitation and
humane treatment of offenders were also investigated.
The results revealed that correctional officials have an overall positive attitude towards
rehabilitation and humane treatment of offenders. Furthermore it was revealed that
factors like gender, age, educational qualification, work experience and the type of
offender under the correctional officials’ care have no impact on the attitudes of
correctional officials towards rehabilitation and humane treatment of offenders. It was
noted that some of these factors have no influence on the attitude of correctional officials
when examined individually, however when some of the factors are correlated they have
an impact on the attitude of correctional officials.