LIST OF ACRONYMS
CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY
This study sought to explore the perceptions of correctional officials from Westville Correctional Centre on sexual assault of male offenders. This study was based on the premises of the problem statement (see Chapter 1). This study employed the qualitative approach.The study participants were able to provide detailed views on male sexual assault. The findings of this study were obtained by means of semi-structured interviews from 8 correctional officials from medium A to D of the Westville Correctional Centre which were sampled using purposive sampling. This study found that correctional officials from Westville Correctional Centre are aware of the occurrence of male sexual assault in their respective mediums. Correctional officials have an immense amount of knowledge on male sexual assault i.e. types of vulnerable victims; methods used to lure victims; the impact of overcrowding and effect of understaffing on male sexual assault. Gang activity in correctional centres has an immense role on male sexual assault. In addition, it was found that correctional officials have no impact on the underreporting of male sexual in Westville. The study also found that in Westville Correctional Centre there still remain effective strategies implemented to curb male sexual assault.
This study has answered the research questions based on the findings of the study, the answers are as following.
7.2 RESEARCH QUESTION 1: WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF MALE SEXUAL ASSAULT AMONG CORRECTIONAL OFFICIALS IN WESTVILLE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE IN DURBAN?
Correctional officials from Westville Correctional Centres are aware that first- time offenders and offenders without visitations are vulnerable to male sexual assault in correctional centre.
Officials have knowledge of the methods used by perpetrators to lure victims of sexual assault and that the 28 gang is the one gang that commonly commit offences of sexual assault. They are aware that male sexual assault is generally committed to create wyfies in correctional centres. In addition, correctional officials from Westville are knowledgeable of factors that contribute to male sexual assault in correctional centres such as overcrowding, shortage of staff and structural factors such as the solid steel doors in the cells. Furthermore, they have knowledge that male sexual assault in correctional centres occurs at night.
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7.3 RESEARCH QUESTION 2: WHAT ARE THE PERCEPTIONS OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICIALS TOWARD MALE SEXUAL ASSAULT?
The perceptions of correctional officials from Westville Correctional Centre on male sexual assault is that the existence of gangsterism in correctional centres perpetuates male sexual assault. They are of the view that male sexual assault is a contributing factor of HIV transmission in the correctional centre and that male sexual assault has a psychological effect on the victim. They perceived themselves as failures to efficiently safeguard offenders if male offenders are sexually assaulted while incarcerated. Correctional officials expressed that in correctional centres offenders will also find an opportunity to commit male sexual assault.
Some correctional officials are of the view that male sexual assault is part of life in correctional centre. In Westville Correctional Centre there still remain a proportion of correctional officials that are against the distribution of condoms while others feel that the distribution of condoms will help prevent HIV transmission. They are of the view that male victims of sexual assault do not report. Furthermore, some officials expressed that offenders who are comfortable in correctional centres and have nothing to look forward to when released are potential perpetrators of male sexual assault.
7.4 RESEARCH QUESTION 3: WHAT PREVENTATIVE MEASURES ARE IN PLACE TO CURB MALE SEXUAL ASSAULT IN WESTVILLE CORRECTIONAL CENTRE?
Westville Correctional Centre still lacks tangible and effective strategies to curb male sexual assault. Nevertheless, correctional officials have adopted the following strategies to aid in the reduction of male sexual assault in correctional centre. These strategies include: identifying and profiling of unknown perpetrators to be moved into cells where they are less likely to commit male sexual assault; identifying vulnerable offenders to be isolated i.e. gays are placed in a cell called G5; ensuring that the lights are working in the cells; encouraging offenders to report and also informing them of the reporting mechanisms; and also encouraging offender to do activities such as playing sport i.e. soccer.
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After considering the findings of this study, the following recommendations are offered:
7.5.1 Recommendations to the Department of Correctional Services.
Correctional officials need to be provided with a uniform definition of sexual assault in correctional centres. A uniform definition will provide them with a clear understanding of what constitutes a sexual offence as sexual assault.
Training of correctional services officials. It is imperative that correctional officials are trained on how to recognise the physical, behavioural, and emotional symptoms of sexual assault in correctional centre.
New admissions should be provided with information on male sexual assault, the consequences of accepting gifts or favours from other offenders.
Offenders should be provided with different reporting mechanisms, such as having a box in each section of the medium where the offender can write the report and put it inside the box. This will allow the offender to be able to report anonymously.
Correctional centres should have posters around, especially in the cells about the awareness of male sexual assault.
The Department of correctional services needs to consider hiring more staff as one of the major factors of sexual assault is understaffing in correctional centre.
The department of correctional services needs to implement the Offender Sexual Assault Protocol which was developed by Booyens (2008) in South African correctional centre.
7.5.2 Recommendation for future research
This study reveals the following avenues for future research: future research needs to survey male offenders about the willingness to report and tolerance of male sexual assault. In addition, this type of study should also be replicated at a larger scale, including both the private and public correctional centres. This type of research would establish if the nature and extent of male sexual assault is different in private correctional centres as compared to the public correctional centres. In addition, future research on comfortability of offenders as a motivating factor to commit male sexual assault in correctional centre needs to be conducted.
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