AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
OFFENDER REHABILITATION POLICIES IN ZIMBABWE

AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
OFFENDER REHABILITATION POLICIES IN ZIMBABWE

GRANISIA MASONA MUSANGO

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of offender
rehabilitation policies in Zimbabwe prisons in light of the efforts by stakeholders to
reform offenders. The primary objective of the study was to establish the extent to
which the correctional services are curbing ex-convicts from committing crimes. The
study was also aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of rehabilitation policies
implemented in Zimbabwe towards addressing the problem of re-offending.
Furthermore, the study sought to identify the reasons why released offenders continue
to commit crimes despite their participation in various rehabilitation programmes
during their period of incarceration. The methodology of the study was centred on the
interpretivist philosophy as practised in qualitative research methods. The study
participants included prisoners who were first time offenders, prisoners who were re-
arrested, prison officers who supervise the rehabilitation programmes and NGOs
responsible for various rehabilitation programme concerning prisoners. Data was
primarily generated through face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, focus
group discussions and participant observation which were inevitable in this study by
nature of being a qualitative research where the researcher is the prime instrument of
data generation. Secondary data was sought from documents analysed from Harare
Central, Chikurubi Farm and Chikurubi Female Prisons records and statistics offices
and other stakeholders. The findings of the study revealed a host of challenges that
stall effective policy implementation chief among them being the deplorable living
conditions in the prisons. The negative attitude perspectives and stigma , among other
things, were seen to be the reasons for offenders getting into a vicious circle of re-
offending. The study recommended stakeholder cooperation in policy
implementation, monitoring and evaluation among other things

ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

2016