Diversion Programmes: Case Studies of the Youth Empowerment Scheme Programme at NICRO, Durban, South Africa

The high level of crime in South Africa remains a concern. Particularly, crime that involves youth offenders puts them at high risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system. Despite some success in reducing crime among youths who were in conflict with the law by means of rehabilitating them in diversion programme, some youth find it difficult to live their lives in harmony with the behavioural norms of their society and they are often tempted to deviate due to their circumstances. Although much work has been done in recent years through diversion programmes an illumination of the perspectives and understanding of youth is limited in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to examine the youths' understanding of their own criminal behaviour after completing the Youth Empowerment Scheme programme at the National Institute for Crime prevention and Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO) . The study also aimed at identifi; factors that contributed to the criminal behaviour of youth in South Africa.