A criminological investigation into the treatment of juvenile offenders at Vuma Reform School
The investigation aims at analyzing, describing and explaining the treatment of juvenile offenders committed to Vuma Reform School by various South African juvenile courts. The analytical method of research is used to describe methods and programmes of treatment in order to gain insight into the treatment programme of Vuma Reform School. The documentary study technique, supplemented with an unstructured interview technique is used to analyse data consisting of one-hundred juveniles and sixty-six officials - The farmer were committed to the reform school between January 1988 and May 1990, and the officials are in employment by June 1990. Two institutions form the basis of treatment of juvenile offenders, namely the juvenile court and the reform school. Findings of the investigations are as fallows :— (a) The juvenile court has a significant role in adjudicating a convicted juvenile. The legal provisions of dealing with such juveniles and presentence investigation reports presented by social workers lay the foundation on which treatment should be based. (b) The majority of juvenile offenders under investigation were convicted of property re1 ated offences and, to a lesser extent, offences against persons and administration of justice. (c) Vuma Reform School's Internal structure consists of four divisions namely, the management, professional, administrative and auxiliary divisions. (d) The majority of personnel at Yuma Reform School are unqualified to carry out the treatment functions of the Reform School. Further, there is no psychological division to carry out psychological methods of treatment and psychological tests; and hence no vocational training programme is provided for. (e) The treatment programme of Vuma Reform School falIs into three phases, namely: admission, treatment and education and preparation for release. Each of these phases has individual programmes. For example, the admission phase has the reception and orientation programme; the treatment and education phase has academic and educational programmes, recreational, religious instruction, food and clothing, and discipline and control programmes. Lastly, the preparation for release phase has leave of absence, family units and correspondence and reconstruction services within the scope of treatment. Recommendations of the investigation are as follows :— (a) The status of the juvenile court should be upgraded, conditions of parental and legal representation of juveniles be reviewed and presentation of the presentence investigation report be made obligatory to all juvenile court trials. (b) Alternative sentences other than whipping be employed more oftenly by juvenile courts. (c) The composition of the Board of Management be broadened and training of personnel be adopted as a matter of policy. (d) The treatment programme of Vuma Reform School be improved by employment of clinical psychologists; provision of literacy classes for juveniles who need functional knowledge; provision of vocational training, improved recreational faci1ities and employment of a chaplain and active involvement of juveniles into the religious instruction programme.
Juvenile corrections., Reformatories., Juvenile delinquency.
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