Keeping them out of prison : A restorative justice education intervention with prison inmates in Lesotho

• Author: Ntholeng Molefi,Geoff Harris
• DOI: 10.17159/2413-3108/2022/vn71a12731
• Published date: 01 November 2022
• Date: 01 November 2022
• Pages: 35-43

2 – 35

SA CRIME QUARTERLY NO. 71 • 2022

Keeping them out

of prison

A restorative justice

education intervention with

prison inmates in Lesotho

South African

This research project involved planning and implementing a restorative justice education programme

with prison inmates in Lesotho aimed at restoring their self-worth and dignity, and to evaluate its

outcomes. The project began with focus group discussions with f‌irst-time offenders, repeat offenders

and ex-inmates to identify the main challenges faced by ex-inmates. It was found that these were

stigma, rejection by their families and communities and the harsh socio-economic environment.

The study then utilised restorative justice education materials from a South African NGO, Phoenix

Zululand, which were translated into Sesotho and modif‌ied to suit local conditions. The programme

involved discussion groups led by a facilitator and culminated in a conference involving inmates and

their families held shortly before release. An evaluation conducted 12–18 months after release found

very positive outcomes for the ex-inmates and their families concerned but there are reasons to be

conservative in what is claimed in terms of programme success.

CR I ME QUA RT E R LY

Ntholeng Molef‌i and Geoff Harris1

ntholengmolef‌i@gmail.com

geoffreyh@dut.ac.za

https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3108/2022/vn71a12731

No. 71 | 2022

The effectiveness of two of the conventional

justif‌ications for imprisonment – deterrence

and reformation – can be tested using rates of

repeat offending as a performance indicator.

The evidence on recidivism, typically def‌ined as

the proportion of prisoners who are re-arrested,

reconvicted or reimprisoned within two years of

release, is unequivocal, although many countries