its rehabilitation programmes
7 November 2007
The Department of Correctional Services has noted with concern the
distortions peddled by various key players about the facts of overcrowding of
Correctional Centres and wishes to state as follows:
1. Overcrowding is a major challenge facing the department that impacts
negatively on its ability to deliver services of rehabilitation effectively to
all offenders, but stretching these facts to conclude that "the department
simply cannot deliver on its mandate," is peddling of untruths that are doing
more harm than any good.
2. There are numerous pockets of excellence and anecdotal incidents that
demonstrate that although not at the desirable levels the desired impact of our
interventions is progressively growing. For example, over 22 000 offenders are
involved in basic and advanced education producing some of the best matric
results in the country, and over 73 000 offenders are involved in sports,
recreation, arts and cultural activities with intensions to increase that to
about 115 000 eligible offenders.
3. These interventions are contributing to the personal development of the
offenders as being mandated by the Correctional Services Act in our quest to
address recidivism or re-offending. The picture given is of alarmist
proportions that raises questions about the disservice provided by the expected
learned and well informed societal players in the criminal justice system. Only
a person ignorant of World Health Organisation's (WHO's) standards and our
legislative provisions on the treatment of offenders can suggest compulsory
testing of new offenders "for contagious and infectious diseases," offenders
are human being and therefore should be constitutionally treated like other
people, who cannot be forced to undertake medical tests for e.g. HIV.
4. Conclusions that only 11% of the offenders actually benefit from a wide
range of rehabilitation programmes is an indication of lack of understanding of
the intervention package of the department which is outlined above.
5. The department has on countless occasions acknowledged that addressing
challenges it faces requires a national partnership to correct, rehabilitate
and reintegrate offenders for a safer and a more secure South Africa, hence
campaigns like the Corrections Week that focuses on mobilising all players to
throw their weight behind various interventions it undertakes.
6. The challenges are societal and Correctional Services is a manifestation
of the character of the South African society we are serving and therefore
righteous and armchair approaches will never assist anyone in this country.
Daily we acknowledge these challenges and even yesterday the Minister of
Correctional Services addressing magistrates in the Eastern Cape called for a
rethink of using prison as the first option for even petty offenders, which
compounds overcrowding.
Minister Balfour visited Alice, Middledrift and Fort Beaufort where many
awaiting trial detainees are still incarcerated simply because they can not
afford small bail of up to e.g. R1 000. He has been calling on all players to
help reserve correctional centres for those that committed serious, aggressive
and sexual crimes against the society.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 083 626 0304
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
7 November 2007
