Browsing by Subject "Youth sex offenders"

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    Multi-disciplinary practice guidelines for the management of youth sex offenders through residential diversion within a restorative justice approach in South Africa
    (Routledge Taylor &Francis group, 2015) Gxubane, Thulane
    This article is based on a study which explored the use of residential diversion within a restorative justice framework in the management of youth sex offenders in South Africa. The research design of the study combined qualitative and quantitative approaches with a predominantly qualitative thrust in the gathering, analysis and presentation of data. A non-probability purposive sampling method was adopted with three sets of samples, namely, youth ex-sex offenders, their significant others, and key informants from various professions who were involved in the management of youth ex-sex offenders and/or their victims in a variety of settings. The article highlights a number of potential benefits and challenges that could be anticipated in the application of restorative justice within a residential option of diversion. Practice guidelines are offered which will hopefully help to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the different professionals, paraprofessionals and the community in promoting good practice in the study focus area.
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    Prospects of family group conferencing with youth sex offenders and their victims in South Africa
    (Nova Publishers, 2016) Gxubane, Thulane
    This chapter explores family group conferencing with youth sex offenders within a residential diversion framework, and draws on the findings of a broader study which the author conducted in this area of restorative justice practice in South Africa. The chapter starts by looking at the literature on family group conferencing from the international to the South African context. In exploring the prospects of family group conferencing with youth sex offenders, the author focuses on some of the major concerns which have been raised in the literature regarding the applicability of this approach to dealing with youth sex offenders, namely: the perceptions that family group conferences are a soft option for dealing with youth sex offenders; family group conferences are inappropriate where the victim is too young and unable or unwilling to participate in the conference, and that coercion when ensuring victims’ participation in the family group conferences is antithetical to restorative justice. The chapter also focuses on closure and reconciliation between the youth sex offenders and their victims as one of the most important long-term goals of family group conferencing. The achievement of the long-term goals of family group conferencing will require a paradigm shift from interventions that only focus on the treatment of the "offender" to those which prioritise the restoration of relationships which have been harmed by an offence through the facilitation of dialogue between parties in conflict. The author believes that such a philosophical shift in practice framework not only will it have long-term benefits to the parties in conflict but will also help to promote healthy families and communities in general.
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    Restorative justice with youth sex offenders: Issues for practice
    (The Social Work Practitioner-Researcher Die Maatskaplikewerk Navorser-Praktisyn, 2014-07) Gxubane, Thulane
    The South African child justice system has adopted the philosophy of restorative justice in the management of child and youth offenders in general as reflected in the preamble of the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008. Whilst restorative justice has been easily applied to less serious youth crimes generally, there seems to be some reservations regarding its appropriateness to dealing with youth sex offenders. This article looks at restorative justice approach within the context of diversion and seeks to highlight practice issues that need to be considered with regard to the application of the aforementioned approach in dealing with youth sex offenders. The article draws from the findings of a PhD study that the author conducted which explored this area of social work practice.