The transformative effect of correctional education: A global perspective

Figures & data

Table 1. Results on the Transformative Effect of Correctional Education

THEME 1:TRANSFORM			QUALITATIVE FINDINGS
QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS			PARTICIPANTS’ QUOTES
Sub-themes	Questionnaires N = 40	In-depth interviews N = 12	Vusi: “Education can transform offenders. According to me, I wish education can be compulsory. There are people who cannot read or write. It should be a condition for release, that an offender will not be released until finishing ABET Level 4.” Luvo: “ I told myself that I committed crime, therefore education was my only way. Education is the key to normal life.”
Transform	Yes = 40,100%	Yes = 12,100%
Does not transform	No = 0, 0%	No = 0, 0%
THEME 2:TRANSFORMATIVE EFFECT			QUALITATIVE FINDINGS
SUB-THEMES			PARTICIPANTS’ QUOTES
Changes behaviour & attitude			David: “Education is the key to success. It changes people behaviour and attitudes. It helps to think deep before you can take decision. It helps to be able to communicate with the outsides.” Jack: “Offenders can change their life. The way of socialization to community and to other peers.”
Boosts self-confidence			Sanele: “Education open a mind of a person; it changes your attitude. It gives you a sense of belonging, your state of mind rise to a higher level. It also rises your confidence and you become comfortable to yourself. It really brings back a sense of living again, you become alive, so it is very important to study.”
Promotes growth			Dumisani: “Yes, focus on improving my mind. Yes, education made me grow as a person. Education keep your mind grow with your age.”
Revives humanity			Zipho: “Education in Correctional Services is essential because it revives humanity. It is the best programme to give someone a second chance in life. It should be promoted. It should be enforced to every young person.” Lindi: “I have developed good personality traits, moral values and behavioural patterns towards my fellow humans. No one has ever complained about me since my release from prison.”
Boosts self-esteem			Rethabile: “It helps one to have high self-esteem, to believe in one self. One can read and write. One can see things in a different way through education.” Gugu: “Yes, I was full of anger. I have no anger now. I listen to a person. Social Work programmes made me a better person. Education transform. I can see my future is bright now. It boosts self-esteem.” Anele: Education should be an obligation to each and every person who comes into the system. Education helps you to understand how you affect other people’s lives. It should be instilled to everybody so that people should regain their self-esteem.”
Equips with employment skills			Jabu: “To help the offenders to transform and renew their mind to become new creatures. To help them by giving the skills to eliminate poverty, unemployed.” Anele: “Computer skills, Financial skills. I am using those skills even today and change the lives of other people.”
Improves literacy levels			Respondent	Literacy	Before	After
			John	Reading	Poor	Good
			Lifa	Numeracy	Poor	Good
			Thabo	Speaking	Fair	Good
			Thando	Writing	Poor	Good
Improves cognitive skills			Thami: “Education change our evil thinking and become a better people and gives us the direction to take in life which is good for us. Education is the key to our life to live a good life.”
Changes into law-abiding			Sizwe: “Education is a powerful weapon that we can use to change the world. It also does the same to offenders because of your education changes your life style. An offender can be a law abiding citizen through education because you will be able to get a better job and stop committing crime and you can assist youth not to commit crime but study hard for their future life.”