7. Comments and Recommendations 7.1 Overcrowding 7.1.1 Much of the overcrowding observed at both centres was due to large numbers of remand detainees, and the Committee is aware that this is the case at correctional centres across the country. It is clear that should remand detainees be removed from correctional centres overcrowding would be radically reduced, leaving the DCS able to focus on the implementation of its core mandate - the secure care and rehabilitation of sentenced offenders. The Committee welcomes the interventions emanating from the criminal justice review process and will have a series of interactions with experts and stakeholders to better understand the causes of and possible solutions to overcrowding. While it realises that much of the responsibility for reducing the number of remand detainees lies with the judiciary, the Committee emphasises that the DCS must impress the impact overcrowding has on the delivery of rehabilitation programmes upon cluster partners, and should if necessary take the lead in finding joint cluster solutions to the situation. The Committee will closely monitor the conversion of the 11 centres earmarked to become remand centres, and the DCS is to provide the Committee with regular updates on the progress on this and other interventions. 7.1.2 The above-mentioned intervention must be accompanied by increased efforts by the DCS to improve on its community corrections system thus making it an attractive and feasible alternative sentencing option. Increasing the use of non-custodial sentencing will not only further reduce overcrowding, but will also spare those offenders who do not pose a threat to society from the trauma of incarceration and, in the long run, reduce recidivism.