Appraisal of Impermissible Behaviour of Correctional Officers on the Objectives of the Offender Rehabilitation Programmes in Prisons

The effectiveness of Offender Rehabilitation Programmes (ORPs) within South African Correctional Facilities depends on the professional conduct of correctional officers. Impermissible behaviours, including excessive use of force, corruption, neglect of duty, and abuse of authority, compromise the rehabilitative mandate of the penitentiary system and undermine offender reintegration efforts. This study systematically examines the nature and extent of such misconduct and its implications for rehabilitation outcomes. Using a systematic literature review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, relevant peer-reviewed articles, government reports, policy documents, and official publications published in the past decade were critically reviewed. Inclusion criteria prioritised relevance, methodological rigour, and contextual applicability to South African correctional settings. The thematic synthesis of the findings reveals a persistent disjuncture between the stated objectives of ORPs and inmates’ lived experiences, attributable mainly to correctional officer misconduct. Documented practices, including physical and psychological abuse, bribery, and the perpetuation of hostile institutional environments, emerge as systemic impediments to inmate engagement, programme credibility, and long-term rehabilitative outcomes. The study concludes that impermissible conduct among correctional officers constitutes a significant barrier to achieving rehabilitation objectives in correctional settings. Addressing this challenge requires implementing stringent accountability mechanisms, continuous professional ethics training, and enhanced supervision. By situating the conduct of correctional officers at the centre of rehabilitation discourse, this study contributes to the scholarly literature on correctional governance in South Africa. It underscores the alignment of institutional practices with the transformative goals of offender rehabilitation.