Do Prisons Really Make Offenders Worse?

A lot of people think that prison is a place where crimes sits and breeds, the idea is that if you put people in prison they will get worse. Is it really unavoidable? Will offenders really turn into even more of a corrupt and violent person when they leave prison?

The main conversation topics among prisoners is generally crime, drugs and gossip about who did what and to who. They often brag about what they have done and even team up with other criminals in jail and hatch new plans and schemes. Some carefully engineer crimes that are committed by other people outside prison. These inmates are often gang leaders who can influence people outside the prison walls.

A number of offenders were recently interviewed in numerous institutions about whether or not jail really makes someone worse than they were before.

Their answers may be surprising! Inmates emphasize that choices are continually made about how time is served. Some aspire to be prison kingpins.

Confinement is just one more arena in which to conduct criminal operations. Others, however, have an entirely different view and make choices in an entirely different decision. They adhere to the prison rules and policies while remaining out of the "action." Fed up with how they have lived, they desire to change or, at the very least, not risk incurring new charges which will extend their time in prison. They participate in programs and try to get along with other inmates and with institutional staff.

Inmates who abstain from criminal activities in prison remain cordial, to other inmates. Not wanting to be tagged as "snitches" or informants, they participate in a variety of activities that do not violate the rules. And they have no interest in committing new crimes. Some develop disgust (that they do not express publicly) with their fellow inmates who are perpetually devising new schemes, con games, and manipulative maneuvers. They report that others leave them alone and do not try to pressure them into involvement in more violations and crimes. They have found that, usually, the other inmates respect them.

In short, just as he did in the free world, an inmate chooses the people with whom he develops close associations. He makes decisions about the type of person he wants to be. He decides what temptations he will resist.

By no means is it inevitable that he will become a more hardened criminal or a more dangerous person because he is serving a sentence in a correctional institution. In fact, spending time in prison marks a turning point toward a positive direction.  A prison expression is to make time serve you not just you serving time.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around - We encourage all South Africans not to stand back, but become involved either by donatinga monthly amount, a once-off donation or look at the NICRO wish list for support in kind for around the country and see how you can assist.

5 Tips on how to raise your teenager successfully

Raising a teen is not as simple as you think. It takes a lot. especially time, effort and attention. The worst part of raising a teen is not knowing if you have done a good job until your teen is all grown up. So, in order for a parent to believe that they have been successful in raising a decent human being, they need to know that their teen will be places in their lives.

Lets take a look at some helpful tips that will help parents to raise their teenagers successfully...

• Keep your eyes on the prize. The main goal for every parent is to bring up a happy, successful human being who will have the best life. With that being said, it can often be simply impossible to do. At times you may want to give up on raising your teen, but always keep your goal in mind and this will help you and your teen through the tough times.

• Learn to communicate with your teen successfully. Communication surrounds everything we do, it goes so much deeper than just talking to your teens. It includes a need for parents to convey their unconditional love of their teen, employ a discipline that works for both the teen and parent, show a teen how to successfully use the world around them and more. Sometimes communication with teens means no communicating. By the time your child is a teen, parents should know body language that points to the fact that something is wrong - or something is right. But because your child is a teen, they might not share what is wrong or what is wrong may just be the growing pains of the teen years. Parents of teens will be willing to not bug their teen and just keep an ear out for when their teen does want to talk - and an eye out for any trouble.

• Build your teen's confidence and self-esteem. When your raise a confident young adult with a healthy self-esteem, they go on to do things in their lives that bring happiness and joy to themselves and those around them. They are not afraid to achieve or to do the work it takes to achieve their best. You can be less worried about what is going on in your teen's world when they have a strong self-esteem because that means they will be able to make the right choices.

• Support your teen's need for individuality. Children need time to become who they will be. We know people don't just start out being who they are. But parents do have a glimpse and can help guide their teen by supporting their teens choices in activities, hobbies and friends. Being available to drive your teen to practice, purchasing art supplies and seeking out opportunities for your teen to develop strong friendships are all things parents, who want to be successful at raising their teen, can do to support their teen's individuality.

• Employ fair and firm discipline. Discipline changes as your child grows up and becomes a teenager. But it doesn't stop. Your teen will still need your guidance and discipline. You will still need to say 'no'. You will still need to have consequences in place if your teen refuses to adhere to your family's rules. Basically, fair and firm discipline is you, the parent, creating a discipline plan for your teen that is fair to both of you and sticking to it using a firm and loving approach. When you employ the fair and firm discipline approach your teen will learn the value of doing what is right along with how to take responsibility for their actions. It's a win-win that leads directly to raising your teen successfully.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around - We encourage all South Africans not to stand back, but become involved either by donating a monthly amount, a once-off donation or look at the NICRO wish list for support in kind for around the country and see how you can assist.

Racism 101

Racism is when you treat someone differently of unfairly because of the colour of their skin or their culture. If you are the victim of racism, know that what they are doing is illegal and just because you are different doesn't give them the right to treat you differently or abuse you.

What exactly is racism?

Racism can mean a variety of things. It is when someone is treated in an unfair manner because of their race or culture, it is also when someone is prejudiced against because of their religion or nationality.

One example is seeing a Muslim person and immediately assuming they are a terrorist. This is wrong and not true at all!

It is illegal to treat people differently or unfairly because of their race and nobody has the right to make you feel bad or abuse you.

Racism can include:

-- written or verbal threats or insults
-- damage to property, including graffiti
-- personal attacks, including violence

Why are some people racist?

Someone who's a racist can feel threatened by anyone who's from a different race or culture.

Our views and beliefs develop as we grow up. If you grow up within a racist family, or have friends who are racist, you may believe that racism is normal and acceptable.

Prejudice of any kind is often based on ignorance and fear of things that are different. Don't dislike what you don't know. Find out more by reading, learning about things online, talking to people who might have a different perspective to you and getting lots of different views before you make up your mind.

Imagine being someone else and what this would be like. Think about how you'd like to be treated.
Being bullied or treated differently can be hard. It might seem easier to avoid situations where the racist abuse might happen, like not going to school. This usually won't help it go away. And it can make you feel worse.

Things you can try to help stop the bullying:

-- Accept that it's not your fault - It can be tough if you're having a hard time, but remember you're not the one to have caused the problem.

-- Tell someone what's happening to you - This could be a close friend or an adult you trust.

-- Keep some evidence - This could be a diary of events, saved messages and a record of when things happen. This can be useful to show others that you need help.

-- Keep yourself safe - You could walk home with someone you trust, change privacy settings online and block users who bully you.

Young people have told us:

"People laugh at me and call me names because I have red hair and freckles."

''I get told to be avoided because I'm from Pakistan and people say I am a bad person''

''Boys at school call me horrible names because my family and I are Jehovah's Witnesses.''

Whatever you're going through, you can talk to someone. Don't hesitate to contact NICRO whenever you or a loved one needs help.

Nathi Mankayi - Life after prison

Nathi Mankayi shares his inspirational story with us about life after prison and how he has decided to commit his life to something else entirely.

Just a few short years ago, Nathi Mankayi found himself in prison. Why? Because he and some of his friends turned to a life of crime and robbed someone. They were then sentenced to eight years in jail, with four years suspended.

On the day that Mankayi finally left jail, he promised himself that he would focus on one thing and one thing only - Music!

Now, the 32-year-old singer is among the most sought-after musicians in the country. His debut album, Buyelekhaya, has gone double platinum and he is among the artists who performed at the first BET Experience Africa festival.

Mankayi admits that he is feeling exhausted. “I’ve been performing so much, I can’t even keep count of the gigs I’m doing or the ones that I’ve been booked for in the next few months.”

But being asked to perform at the BET festival was a career highlight for him.

“Being on stage with some of the biggest names in music is a dream come true for me. It makes me believe that I am really doing a good job in the music industry.” Mankayi says he brought real soul to the festival, which took place on December 12 last year in Johannesburg.

“The key to my success has been the fact that I stay true to the person that I am. I grew up in a small town in the Eastern Cape where humility is very important. This is where a lot of the inspiration for my music comes from.

“So whichever stage I’m on, I want to share my upbringing with the audience and I hope that it evokes positive memories of where they come from as well.” Mankayi has also stood out as one of few South African musicians who sing in their native language, in his case, isiXhosa.

“I don’t think I’m going to be writing a song in English any time soon,” he says with a laugh. “Song writing comes naturally to me and it feels right when it’s in isiXhosa. I feel like if I sat down and forced myself to write a song in English, the song would lose that something special.

“There are also a lot of things that I don’t know about the English language, so I think I’d rather stick to a language that I’m actually sure of. That way I can be as expressive as I want to be.” Mankayi is excited to give back to his community.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around - We encourage all South Africans not to stand back, but become involved either by donating a monthly amount, a once-off donation or look at the NICRO wish list for support in kind for around the country and see how you can assist.

Peer Pressure can Lead to Juvenile Crime

Peer pressure can lead a teen to do just about anything, even criminal activities! Read on to learn how peer pressure among teens can lead to crime and ways to prevent it.

There are a number of reasons why a teen would commit a crime - stress, a bad upbringing, drug abuse - but peer pressure is up there at the top in playing a very prominent role in it. The teen years are the years mostly made up of development and exploring life. Teenagers are young, immature and haven't experienced much, so there is a high chance they will make the wrong decisions.

Because teens are still young and stupid and not fully mentally evolved, they often do not make the right decision. This is why preventative measures must be taken to prevent acts of crime because of the dreaded peer pressure.

These are some reasons why teens end up committing crimes under peer pressure.

Check the Environment
Often in today’s society crime is a part of the regular life. There are cities where violence is an everyday affair, for instance, there are scuffles, shootouts, gang wars and so on. Even domestic crimes in myriad forms can prove to be a harmful and negative environment for the kid to grow up. Such conditions enhance the chances of the teen to fall victim to commit criminal activities under peer pressure. Besides such an environment also fosters the birth and functioning of peer groups that indulge in violence.

Bad Role Models
Usually teens follow the behaviours, look and acts of their role models. If the role model happens to be a negative one, it is possible that the teen would indulge in crime either under peer pressure readily, or commit it solo. As teens it is not easy for them to understand the implication of law and legal regulations for certain acts, so they may misjudge the impact of the criminal offense right at the beginning. Peers often instill a false belief that if they do such an act together, they can escape being caught.

Extreme Dependence on Peers
If the peer group is a negative one, it is quite possible for the teen to get involved in criminal activities easily. The first reason being that they might be bullied to become a member of the peer group as otherwise, they might be isolated and labelled as ‘uncool’. So in order to fit in, they give in and become an active participant. They also validate their ideas by the peer group and shape their thoughts as per the dictates of the peer group.

Given such a situation, it can be pretty challenging to control the peer pressure and crime relationship. Through effective parenting and guidance, this can be achieved. Put an end to aggression right at the beginning. Teach the teen to control his emotions and anger, help him learn how to exercise restraint. The first point to keep in mind here is that, you should become a good role model yourself. You must not lose your temper and maintain calm.

You can help the teen learn a lot through your composure and patient attitude. Advise him to practice exercises like meditation or yoga sessions, even regular physical workouts or sports so that he can effectively control his emotions when provoked. Teach him that issues can be resolved through peaceful communications too.



NICRO is committed to turning lives around - We encourage all South Africans not to stand back, but become involved either by donating a monthly amount, a once-off donation or look at the NICRO wish list for support in kind for around the country and see how you can assist.

Underage drinking - a deadly habit

Eight people were tragically killed and 10 more injured in a tavern in Makaza, Khayelitsha in June 2015 when a metal staicase collapsed. The most shocking part of this story? Most were underage!

After the Makaza tavern incident, the frightening truth was revealed about underage drinking in South Africa. However, has this incident really changed our youths behaviour towards drinking alcohol?

A recent study done by the Wits' School of Public Health showed that 12% of young people start drinking at the tender age of 13, and even before!

Statistics also showed that binge drinking has become a norm and is steadily increasing amoungst teen girls.

So, why do teenagers continue to use alcohol?

Underage drinking can be caused by a variety of reasons, lets take a look at the three most common reasons:

• Boredom & New Friends

Some teenagers have trouble concentrating on school work and finding genuine hobbies. They crave taking risks and don't want to be alone. So, alcohol can be used to keep them busy and look cool in-front of their friends.

• Lack of Confidence

Some teens may try to get drunk before going to a party to give them the confidence to do things that they would otherwise not do.

• Rebellion

Alcohol is the drug of choice for teenagers because it frees or allows them to behave aggressively. This aggressive behaviour can be a display of rebelliousness and rejection of their parents and rules.

NICRO is committed to turning lives around - We encourage all South Africans not to stand back, but become involved either by donating a monthly amount, a once-off donation or look at the NICRO wish list for support in kind for around the country and see how you can assist.

Speak up about Physical Abuse!

What is physical abuse? Well, physical, abuse is when someone hurts or injures you on purpose. No, this does not only mean hitting or kicking, it can include anything from hair pulling and beating with objects to throwing and shaking.

Even if you feel that you were in the wrong and it was your fault, NO ONE has the right to hurt you in this way!

Read on to find out how physical abuse can make you feel, what defines physical abuse and who can physically abuse you...

Physical abuse can make you feel:

• frightened and anxious
• depressed and sad
• lonely and isolated
• like you want to self-harm or run away
• angry
• worthless with low self-esteem
• unable to eat normally
• unable to sleep properly
• numb or like you've been cut off from your feelings
• unable to concentrate at school or college
• guilty and worried that it is your fault (it isn't)

What are examples of physical abuse?

Physical abuse is when someone is hurting you. This could be hurting you with their hands, their feet, or an object. It can involve:

• hitting and smacking
• slapping
• punching
• pinching
• kicking
• shaking or suffocating you
• scalding or burning you
• scratching or biting
• hair pulling
• spitting or throwing things at you

Anybody can be physically abusive, including:

• your mum or your dad
• brothers and sisters
• other people in your family
• a boyfriend or girlfriend
• other adults or young people.

Bullying may often include physical abuse.

Sometimes, when we are used to something happening, it feels like it is part of normal life. This can make it hard to understand that what is happening is wrong. It can happen if you are in a situation where abuse has been going on for a long time.

Always remember, it’s not your fault. No one has the right to hurt somebody else. They may say they have reasons for doing it, but none of those reasons are acceptable.

The person who is hurting you might tell you that it’s your fault or that they are punishing you. But nothing you have done makes it okay for someone to hurt you. Abuse is never your fault.

If someone is hurting you, they are aware of what they are doing and know it is wrong. They may try to stop you telling anyone about what is happening.

Everyone has the right to be safe, and no one has the right to hurt you. It shouldn’t happen and can be stopped. You can get help by talking to NICRO or to someone you trust.

If you are being physically abused and feel you are in immediate danger, you should consider calling the police or someone who can help!