CHAPTER 5: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
6.2 A summary of the study
6.2.1 Chapter one: Overview of the study
The first chapter outlined the background of the study and outlined the research problem, the prevalence of crime and incarceration in South Africa. The chapter also discussed the policy and legal framework governing the DCS, the educational role of the DCS and the operation of PSCE in Brandvlei Correctional Centre. This was followed by an outline of the research questions and the research objectives. The chapter concluded by presenting the layout of the chapters of the dissertation.
6.2.2 Chapter two: Theoretical issues of post-secondary correctional education
The second chapter began by laying out the theoretical and conceptual dimensions of the research and was divided into two parts. The first section dealt with the governance theory, which outlined the hierarchy of the DCS, the networks and the market. Theories related to PSCE were followed by behavioural theories, namely, the human capital theory, the social learning theory and the relapse prevention theory. The second part of this chapter discussed the conceptual framework around PSCE. The issues discussed include policy of post-secondary education, the nature of post- secondary correctional education and the factors that hinder/enable effectiveness of PSCE, the justification of post-secondary education and the impact of PSCE. In this chapter, reference was
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made to policies and the nature of PSCE within various countries, which helped the researcher understand the frameworks around PSCE. Despite the weaknesses of the social learning theory, highlighted in chapter two, Bandura’s theory was relevant to this study as it placed emphasis on the importance of observing one’s behaviour so as to learn. The theories reviewed in this study explained the process of using education as a tool to change behaviour and the impact education had in reducing the chances of offenders re-offending, to enable them to become better people in order for them to be reintegrated into society.
6.3.3 Chapter three: Contextualising prison education in South Africa
The objective of this chapter was to discuss the legislative frameworks that govern the DCS on a national level, as well as the Brandvlei Correctional Centre, specifically in offering effective correctional education aligned with relevant policies. Furthermore, the chapter unpacked various legislative guidelines, which included the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the Green Paper on corrections in South Africa: towards a needs-based approach, the White Paper on Corrections in South Africa: a needs-based approach, the UN standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners and the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 pertaining to offenders. The chapter demonstrated that there were programmes offered by the Department of Correctional Services to ensure that offenders received quality education. These programmes consisted of informal education programmes and formal education programmes. The chapter concluded by discussing the literature around prison education in South Africa. It is therefore clear that the PSCE initiative was one of the vital rehabilitation tools that helps in reducing recidivism and increasing post-release employment opportunities. This is by far, the most prominent reason as to why most correctional education programmes were established.
6.3.4 Chapter four: The research methodology
The chapter outlined the research methodology of this study and discussed the research paradigm of the study. There are three dominant traditions in research, namely positivist, constructivist and pragmatist traditions; this study adopted the pragmatic paradigm, which gives a researcher the liberty to investigate areas of concern using techniques that are most suitable and utilising of results in a useful way in line with the moral principles of the researcher. The research design, research approaches, population and sample were also discussed in this chapter. It also featured the data
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collection methods, data quality control and data analysis used to collect the data. A detailed outline of the data collection and instruments that were employed in this study was discussed in this chapter. These methods include the survey method, interviews, document analysis and focus groups. This study identified triangulation as the best data control method, so that findings could be cross-checked, as a dependable and valid way to realise multifaceted social truths. The chapter concluded by giving an explanation of the ethical considerations taken into account in the study.
This chapter contained scientific methods used by the researcher to learn more about the validity and reliability of the study.
6.3.5 Chapter five: Data presentation and analysis
This chapter discussed the data analysis and findings of 16 questionnaires and focus group discussions completed by incarcerated PSCE students at the Brandvlei Correctional Centre. This chapter outlined the respondents’ demographics with regard to their ages, marital status, education level, the crimes for which they had been convicted and whether they had previously been convicted. The chapter briefly presented the data connected to the four broad research questions of this study. The chapter also highlighted the data collected from the respondents concerning the nature of prison education. This was followed by the presentation of data collected from the respondents around the justification of PSCE at Brandvlei Correctional Centre. Thirdly, the chapter presented the data collected from the respondents relating to the factors that enable or hinder PSCE at the Brandvlei Correctional Centre. Fourthly, this chapter articulated the data associated with the perception of respondents on the impact of PSCE at the Brandvlei Correctional Centre. Finally, the chapter outlined the summary of findings of the study. This study has shown that the Brandvlei Correctional Centre offered support to offenders who were studying PSCE, however, the centre lacked awareness programmes designed to attract more offenders into the PSCE space and adequate resources to help offenders studying PSCE to succeed.
Chapter six: Summary, implications and limitations of the study
The chapter provides the summary, conclusions and implications of all the previous chapters as well as an evaluation of the research goal and objectives. The aim of this chapter is to present the conclusions drawn from the results of the analysis of the questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions and to disclose the implications and limitations of the study as well as to make
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recommendations for further research. This chapter set out to unfold implications and limitations relating to the research objectives of this study. The recommendations and conclusion will be drawn from the data collected and the literature reviewed by the researcher.