The problem with prisons is that they do not rehabilitate those confined in them. Usually offenders who enter prison illiterate will probably leave the same way. Our juvenile justice system fails to correct, frequently harms, and often impairs the futures of our children. But to someone who never felt that the government cared for them in the first place, the message is meaningless. They face even greater barriers to success if they re-enter society without marketable skills.
Rehabilitation can work.
Everyone changes over time. The trick is to influence the direction that change takes. An effective way to curb crime and to lower recidivism is for South African society to work to prevent the criminal act in the first place, to come between perpetrator and crime. Rehabilitation includes a wide range of interventions whose ultimate goal is the increased protection of society. It also teaches offenders to respect the humanity of others and to handle disputes in a non-violent manner.