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A need to correct the behaviour and deeds of people who have been incarcerated has been part of the plans of the South African government for a number of years now. Shifting from being punishment to rehabilitation centres, the correctional centres aim to rehabilitate and prepare inmates to be included and accepted by society beyond their incarcerat...
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... Correctional libraries are critical support structures for inmates' rehabilitation, social re-entry, and inclusion. Similarly, correctional libraries assist rehabilitation and social inclusion through appropriate inmate programs and materials (Mugwisi et al., 2019). ...
This article delves into the multifaceted roles of prison libraries in rehabilitating and reintegrating incarcerated individuals. It begins by underscoring the significance of education in correctional facilities and the inherent challenges of providing access to educational resources due to security constraints. The primary objective of this study is to scrutinize the theoretical underpinnings that drive the rehabilitative functions of prison libraries and identify existing gaps in the literature. This research, through a comprehensive analysis of various empirical studies, reveals the pivotal role played by prison libraries in fostering personal growth, facilitating social integration among inmates, serving as havens where prisoners are afforded the autonomy to choose their reading materials, empowering them to enhance their lives through self-directed learning, and contributing to cultural enrichment, literacy advancement, and preparation for successful reintegration into society. The findings of this integrated literature review underscore the constructive influence of prison libraries on effective time management and offering meaningful activities for prisoner rehabilitation. This study highlights the need for further research that amalgamates robust theoretical frameworks with empirical evidence, thereby establishing how prison libraries can efficaciously contribute to prisoner rehabilitation. This study also informs policy formulation to enable correctional institutions to utilize these insights to bolster behavioural management strategies.
