Ex-offenders and their families : a study of reintegration in Zululand

Abstract

The study's aim was to understand issues and challenges affecting the reintegration of ex-offenders, with particular reference to their families. For this purpose, six ex-offenders who had gone through an in-prison restorative justice programme facilitated by Phoenix Zululand were recruited, together with two others. Ex-offenders face a harsh socio-economic environment in any case and the additional challenges of stigma following time in prison means even lower prospects of finding a job. Success in reintegration with their families has been found to be critical in preventing recidivism. This is exploratory research with the purpose of exploring the challenges faced by ex-offenders upon their release, when reintegrating with their families.

The study carried out with the active support of Phoenix Zululand. Qualitative research was used to explore the reintegration challenges faced by ex-offenders over a 12-month period during 2019. Interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with ex-offenders and their families, who volunteered to participate. The main challenges were stigma, a lack of trust by family members/spouses and securing a livelihood. An unexpected benefit was the mutual support gained from other group members.