PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
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FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 383
Mr Z Mlenzana (COPE-EC) to ask the Minister of Correctional Services:
Whether the Government intends to (a) increase its investment in crime
prevention and (b) prevent reckless prison (i) releases and (ii) escapes;
if not, why not; if so, (aa) what are the projections to reduce the levels
of crime, especially repeated crimes and (bb) what are the further relevant
details? CW514E
REPLY
(a) Yes. The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is committed to
continue to promote the rehabilitation, social responsibility and
human development of all offenders in order to contribute towards
general crime prevention, prevention of re-offending and successful
reintegration of offenders into the community.
In this regard the DCS is mandated to provide services and increase
interventions that will, amongst others, contribute to the
rehabilitation of offenders by ensuring that they are held in secure,
safe and humane conditions, develop individual need-based correctional
sentence plans through the assessment and risk profiling of offenders.
Rehabilitation programmes targeting the offending behaviour are
provided in the area of offender literacy, education and skills
competency.
The following list comprises of correctional programmes provided to
offenders:
⢠Substance abuse (stop to start)
⢠Anger Management (anger in anger out)
⢠Murder and related crimes (changing lanes)
⢠Economic crimes (focussing on theft and fraud related offences)
⢠Behaviour Modification on Gangsterism
⢠Restorative Justice Orientation
⢠Re-release
⢠Preparatory programme on sexual offences
⢠New beginnings orientation programme
⢠Cross roads (life skills)
Pre-release programme guides that the offender should have an approved
release date as a prerequisite for being allowed to attend the programme.
This programme is structured to include the following:
⢠Health education
⢠Financial management
⢠Relationships
⢠Restorative justice
⢠Finding employment
⢠Substance abuse: prevention of relapse
⢠Parole conditions
In addition to the aforementioned , the DCS also:
⢠embarked on the increase of literacy for offenders without a
qualification equal to Adult Education and Training (AET) level 4
or Grade 9 to participate in education programmes;
⢠embarked on the Reading for Redemption Campaign through which
offenders are encouraged to read books and to participate in
reading and participating in library related activities organised
by the Provincial Departments of Education and Arts and Culture
through the National Library Services;
⢠signed a Protocol Agreement with the Department of Higher Education
and Training to train offenders on accredited skills programmes,
accredited by various SETAâs. The Department further ensures that
offenders receive accredited Further Education and Training College
Programmes such as the National Certificate (Vocational),
Engineering and Business Studies;
⢠envisages rolling out a training programme (train the trainee) for
female offenders in Arts and Culture programmes. This programme is
aimed at skilling and encouraging self-sustainability in offenders
on their successful re-integration into society thereby minimizing
chances of re-offenders; and
⢠envisages the opening of SRAC Academies to provide holistic
integrated and needs-based services to offenders within needs-
driven facilities aimed at producing socially responsible persons
who will not re-offend.
(b) (i) DCS is obliged to enforce decisions and sentences of courts in
the manner prescribed in legislation. In addition to relevant to
relevant policy and policy procedures, as well as training of
officials, various control, monitoring and review systems are in place
to meet this obligation.
The progressive parole system that is in place in South Africa, is
based on international best practices. It allows for independent
decision-making by Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards, and in
certain cases allows for the involvement of other role players,
including representatives of the victims, South African Police
Services, and the Department of Justice and Constitutional
Development. This assists to prevent and ensure that offenders due
for release or placement are considered as per the prescribed relevant
policy.
(ii) Yes, the DCS has a range of security measures and procedures in
place aimed an preventing escapes. These measures and procedures are
also backed up by the introduction of security technology, such as
access control systems, closed circuit television (CCTV) and security
fences with alarm and detention systems
.
(aa) As part of the preparation to measure repeat offending a
framework for the Measurement of repeat offending was developed, in
the last financial year (2011/12), to guide process of analysing
trends in repeat offending. The process of developing this Framework
was done in consultation with the Justice, Crime Preventions and
Security (JCPS) cluster departments.
(bb) This financial year 2013/14, the DCS plans to commence with the
analysis of trends of repeat offending in South Africa. The outcome
of the measurements of repeat offending will inform the DCSâs
reduction strategy for repeat offending.