3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions

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A case study of a female inclusive diversion programme in South Africa
(2017) Lesage, Schvaughn Sandrine
This case study research explored a female inclusive diversion programme through the analysis of the lived experiences of the staff and programme participants. The research targeted six staff at the programme and five female participants, between the ages of 14 to 35 years who have completed or are busy completing the iCHOOSE diversion programme. The research is qualitative, drawing on eleven semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and documentation. Five themes were identified using Yin’s (2011) five phases of qualitative data analysis, namely: ownership, personal, equality and equity, performativity, and winding road. The first four themes focused on the participants whilst the final theme highlighted the programme itself in terms of advantages, disadvantages, and success. Key findings highlight the difficulties experienced by female youth participants, which mainly consist of societal perceptions of gender norms making their involvement in deviant and criminal acts more problematic than male’s involvement. In addition, discourse of equality as sameness hinders social justice. This research aims to expand on the current understanding of female youth offenders and add valuable insights to existing literature