Abstract:
Rehabilitation is a fundamental aim of the correctional system. This aim is based on the postulation that individuals can be treated to desist from crime. Huebner and Inzana (2020) articulate that rehabilitation programmes are broadly provided to offenders in custodial and community settings around the world. Studies have shown that disciplining inmates is more than just physical punishment but the use of different rehabilitation programmes to reduce recidivism
In Lesotho, there seems to be rare recent studies concentrating on the influence of rehabilitation programmes on the reformation of offenders. It is imperative to understand the influence rehabilitation programmes have on transformation of offenders so as to ensure effective utilisation of rehabilitation programmes and that awareness could be raised about the importance of reformation of offenders.
This phenomenological study which adopted a qualitative research method sought to explore the influence of rehabilitation programmes on the reformation of offenders in Leribe and Botha-Bothe correctional institutions, Lesotho. The sample of the study was formed of eighteen participants (sixteen males and two females) who were selected using a purposive sampling method. Data was collected in May 2021 for three weeks through semi-structured interviews which took forty-five minutes per session. Content analysis was used to analyse the findings. The chosen theoretical framework of this study was Hirschi’s social control theory.
The findings revealed that the psychosocial services through social support, counselling sessions, restorative justice and reintegration have positive influence on reformation of offenders. However there were challenges such as lack of social support to some offenders and inconsistency in counselling sessions. The other findings were that the educational programmes were provided by unqualified people however these programmes help participants to boost their confidence levels and to set life- changing goals. Vocational skills training programmes have less influence on the reformation of offenders because they perceive them as punishment and provision of free labour. However they attested that they could help them to become self-reliant.
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Religious belief have significant role in transformation of offenders because they develop new images and meanings of life through religious programmes. Recommendations included; information dissemination strategies, strengthening communication channels, broadening services, rehabilitation policy formulation, establishment of reintegration programmes, engagement of offenders in community activities, employment of qualified personnel in vocational skills training programmes.
