6.3. Critical gendered analysis of rehabilitation theories
6.3.3. Transformative theory
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beggars but to contribute something to the families. Prison life make them live with shame and stigma hence it is worthwhile that they integrate ndependently.
Rehabilitation needs to make sense to the clients themselves and to be clearly relevant to the opportunities available in t h e i r a t t e m p t s a t living a better life. In such a way, the individual can contribute to her or his family, community and society.
Cultural and social values define what is and what is not acceptable in a community in terms of behaviour. In order to fully reintegrate into that community, such values need to be adhered to by individuals undergoing rehabilitation. The next theory, the transformative theory of rehabilitation, seeks to address this issue.
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ex-prisoners could be effective if they support these women to develop a critical perspective of themselves and their society. It would be particularly useful if this theory could help the female prisoners and ex-prisoners understand that some of the crimes that they commit are a result of the structure of their society and the belief systems promoted by their religion, which are undergirded by cultural values that promote gender bias. If they were aware of the role of these structures in leading them to commit some crimes, they would not live with the full weight of guilt for their actions which are largely founded on structural rather than personal sin. It is however also essential for the perpetrators to acknowledge that they have committed crime. This involves a process, moving from denial of any blame, to realisation of the enormity of what they have done, to seeking to mitigate the outcomes of their actions, to bargaining about the degree to which they are responsible for their actions, and finally to “accepting responsibility not just for the consequences of their actions, but also for their actions” (Robert Shaw 2010:8-9). Debora Nuzzolese (2010:38) suggests that such self-reflection leads to empowerment and “the strengthening [of] internal and interpersonal resources for the sake of more mature relationships”.
Participant Chiedza illustrated critical thinking when she argued that:
Programmes should enforce women’s rights. The government is to enforce women’s rights. The women are to be given jobs and good positions in government sectors in spite of having been in prison.
Chiedza’s statement is crucial because, as noted previously, the Z i m b a b w e a n government does not employ ex-prisoners even when they have appropriate qualifications for the jobs. Therefore, Participant Chiedza is critiquing the structures of government and the practice of governance that perpetuates the suffering of ex-prisoners through the denial of good employment opportunities. Indeed, it has been observed during this research that while female ex-prisoners are absolutely excluded from government posts, male ex- prisoners are more readily employed.
In terms of a critique of the transformative theory of rehabilitation from the perspective of the three theories on which this study is based, several points can be made. First, once again, since it is not a faith-based theory, the spiritual aspect of rehabilitation is not covered by the transformative theory. Second, gender-sensitivity is not dealt with
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specifically by this theory, but because it emphasizes critical thinking about the ex- prisoner’s environment, the gender issue could be raised in the process of such thought. In addition, the goal of enabling ex-prisoners to transform themselves is empowering and liberating, as per feminist thinking. Third, the transformative theory also incorporates the aspect of the context (i.e., socio-political, cultural and economic) of the participant. Fourth, the theory enhances the transformation function of rehabilitation by encouraging the ex- prisoner to reflect on herself and her relations with others. Finally, pre-release programmes are used to assist prisoners to reintegrate into society upon release, a feature which also resonates with the suggested factors of rehabilitation as defined earlier.
The critical thinking of Participant Chiedza was not demonstrated by other ex-prisoners.
For example, Participant Tatenda expressed the need for such critical thinking when being exploited by the church and Christian organizations. Participant Tatenda stated:
We were allowed to visit some churches while in prison. After release I got work here at Prison Fellowship. I was treated well when I came here. I was not very educated but they helped me and taught me some computers. I was given my office. I had more work than any receptionist; I did typing and recording of donations. It was a lot of work so I did not manage to further my education. They do not have enough money to help me, but spiritually, they are doing very well.
What Participant Tatenda did not realize is that the process of self-transformation through working for a church organisation that is meant to prepare her for integration into society, was also in many ways misusing her. First, she was given too much work and therefore did not have time to further her education. Second, the labour that she was offering Prison Fellowship was not being paid for. As a result, she remained dependant and exploited. Third, although she did not elaborate on what she meant by claiming to be being helped spiritually, it appeared that she was made to feel that she is working for God, and that, having been in prison, she should be grateful for forgiveness and an opportunity to work even though she was not paid. She also mentioned that she was given poor accommodation. Tatenda was a survivor of sexual violence, but the rehabilitation programme that she was enrolled did not equip her to understand and process what she had gone through. In addition, it should be noted that if a non-liberative interpretation of the
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Bible is employed by the church/FBO, this too can work against transformation, by emphasizing the sin committed without looking at the root causes of such sin. This reinforces feelings of guilt and shame and keeps prisoners and ex-prisoners from moving forward.
Participant Kundiso stated that:
These organizations should not keep on telling the employers that this person has been in prison, the employers will end up undermining ex- prisoners. The employers are to be helped so that they do not keep on thinking that these ex- prisoners will steal from us. The way prison has meant to me is change. The pain in prison has reformed me. Most of us, who come from prison, have totally changed, so to keep on being reminded of the past sin does us harm.
Nevertheless, Tatenda also displayed elements of critical thinking, which if developed through a transformative rehabilitation programme that is gender sensitive, could allow her to be more analytical of her church/FBO experience. She was able to recognise that it was wrong when told that she would only be helped if she brought money to give as an offering. She was also aware that the help she was going to receive was only prayer to cope with the problem of being an ex-prisoner, and that her basic needs regarding proper rehabilitation were not taken into account at all. She desired a better life for herself and her child than the one she currently had, a goal toward which the transformation theory of needs could have made a contribution.