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Submission information
Submission Number: 85
Submission ID: 867
Submission UUID: 207541f2-374f-4a0d-9662-db7224fe1072
Submission URI: /2025/abstracts
Created: Tue, 04/29/2025 - 12:40
Completed: Tue, 04/29/2025 - 13:05
Changed: Sun, 08/03/2025 - 13:06
Remote IP address: 192.96.15.34
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: Complete
Webform: Abstract
Presenters
Mr.
Ngwenya
Lungile
Nelson mandela university
Lungile Ngwenya is lecturer and researcher at the Department of Social Development and Professions. He has worked in academia for the past 8 years as a contract lecturer and has formally joined NMU permanently in January 2025. With 14 years of practice experience with the Criminal Justice System, Lungile has developed an interest in research on child and youth development, restorative justice, and offender reintegration. With extensive experience in individual counselling, community development, and project management, he has demonstrated effectiveness across various levels of social work practice. His professional expertise encompasses clinical social work, policy development, stakeholder engagement, and the leadership of innovative programs. His research interest focuses on developing a restorative re-entry and reintegration model designed to address the needs of offenders, victims, and communities.
No
Abstract
EXAMINING THE EFFICACY OF THE ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE PROJECT (AVP) ON THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS
THEME 3: Policy and Advocacy for Peace building, Environmental and Social Justice
SUB 3.4 Influencing public policy to address environmental inequalities.
Oral Presentation
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) in South Africa has long struggled with high levels of violence, which has undermined the effectiveness of its rehabilitation mandate. Violence within correctional centres reflects broader societal patterns and is closely tied to the legacy of apartheid, which has left deep-rooted structural injustices across institutions. These injustices are further compounded by environmental factors such as overcrowding, ventilation, number gangs, and limited access to green or rehabilitative spaces. This legacy has contributed to the construction of aggressive masculine identities that normalise conflict and violence, both inside and outside prison walls. Recognising this, Pollsmoor Correctional Centre initiated the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) in 2004 as a strategy to support offender rehabilitation through non-violent conflict resolution and personal transformation.
This study aimed to examine the efficacy of AVP in shaping offenders’ perceptions and experiences of conflict and violence within a South African correctional facility. Employing a transcendental phenomenological design, which is exploratory, descriptive, and contextual in nature, the research engaged ten sentenced offenders through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using the Van Kaam Framework as modified by Moustakas (1994).
Findings revealed that AVP participation led to significant positive changes in offenders’ self-perceptions, including increased self-awareness, improved self-esteem, and enhanced interpersonal communication. These shifts fostered empathy, trust, emotional regulation, and stronger conflict resolution skills, contributing to a greater sense of community among participants.
The study advocates for the institutionalisation and wider implementation of AVP within correctional facilities as a strategic intervention aligned with peacebuilding and social justice goals. By addressing the systemic and historical roots of violence and promoting rehabilitative rather than punitive approaches, AVP supports the creation of more humane, equitable correctional environments. Furthermore, the programme's transformative potential lays a foundation for broader restorative justice and community-based reintegration frameworks. These may, in turn, serve as vehicles for integrating environmental justice principles, offering a holistic approach to offender reintegration that honours both social and ecological well-being.
This study aimed to examine the efficacy of AVP in shaping offenders’ perceptions and experiences of conflict and violence within a South African correctional facility. Employing a transcendental phenomenological design, which is exploratory, descriptive, and contextual in nature, the research engaged ten sentenced offenders through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using the Van Kaam Framework as modified by Moustakas (1994).
Findings revealed that AVP participation led to significant positive changes in offenders’ self-perceptions, including increased self-awareness, improved self-esteem, and enhanced interpersonal communication. These shifts fostered empathy, trust, emotional regulation, and stronger conflict resolution skills, contributing to a greater sense of community among participants.
The study advocates for the institutionalisation and wider implementation of AVP within correctional facilities as a strategic intervention aligned with peacebuilding and social justice goals. By addressing the systemic and historical roots of violence and promoting rehabilitative rather than punitive approaches, AVP supports the creation of more humane, equitable correctional environments. Furthermore, the programme's transformative potential lays a foundation for broader restorative justice and community-based reintegration frameworks. These may, in turn, serve as vehicles for integrating environmental justice principles, offering a holistic approach to offender reintegration that honours both social and ecological well-being.
Reviewer ONE Feedback
Dr
Ilze
Slabbert
Yes
Empirical Research
Accepted
Reviewer TWO Feedback
Mr
Jean-Paul
Pophaim
Yes
Empirical Research
Accepted