Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This dissertation has been conducted to investigate the need for prison environments to redefine
reform through the introduction of post punishment prisons which cater beyond punishment
and responds to user specific needs. This research will explore the interrelationship between
architecture and its users, through behaviourism, restorative processes, and gender sensitive
design approaches which could redefine the reform of female offenders as a holistic process.
Past and current prison environments have been explored in this dissertation in order to
motivate for a new post-punishment model which would focus on promoting reflection and
initiate offender reintegration, in the hopes of closing the gap between incarceration and
reform, and ultimately reducing the high rates of recidivism in South Africa.
Using an exploratory study that fully relies on a qualitative constructivist methodology, allows
the researcher to gather insightful information regarding the female offenders’ needs, their
experiences within the prison environment as well as their current process for reform. This,
along with the analysis of the existing literature, and various precedent studies, case studies
and a series of in- depth interviews with staff officials from the Westville Female corrections
centre and offender advocates from grass-roots NGO’s, established various themes which
responded to the research concepts of gender sensitive architecture, restorative environments
and post punishment reform.
Furthermore, as a result of the findings from the fieldwork component, this research concludes
that despite the Department of Correctional Services attempts to promote offender reform
within current prison environments, the outdated prison models, along with the lack of
understanding regarding the post punishment phases of reflection and reintegration, has
resulted in the current prison environment not being conducive towards the holistic reform of
offenders.
This dissertation concludes that for prison environments to facilitate the holistic reform of
offender must incorporate the tripartite solution of:
1. Gender sensitive architecture – responds to female offender needs.
2. Restorative environments: facilitates the processes of reflection and reintegration.
3. Post punishment reform – redefines reform so it is physio socially holistic