B Skosana: Achievements of Correctional Services, Howard University

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Presentation by the Minister of Correctional Services, Mr Ben M Skosana, at a seminar at Howard University on the achievements of the Department of Correctional Services of the Republic of South Africa in the field of corrections
Washington DC, USA
15 January 2004

Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.

I wish to express my immense pleasure in being afforded the opportunity to outline some of the achievements of our Department of Correctional Services in the past few years, as well as to outline our long-term objectives in efforts to make ours one of the best correctional services in the world.

These achievements, made in the face of considerable odds which sometimes were of a nature which could not be controlled, imply that we have learned to identify challenges which will continue to exercise our minds in the years ahead, and these will be identified within this presentation.

The story of corrections must be understood within the context of the history of South Africa specifically between 1948 and 1994, where the state unleashed different forms of violence against people. Under the apartheid system few members of the society amassed fortunes while a vast majority of the people remained poor.

It is this black poor majority which constituted a majority of the prison population. This is a legacy that continues to exist and the achievements we have made over the past few years are commendable, because a totally new system had to be put in place.

This year South Africa is celebrating ten years of freedom thus making it the youngest democracy on the African continent. We are proud to point out to you some of the following achievements made by the Department of Correctional Services of South Africa within this comparatively short period of time:

It is a known fact that corrections in South Africa had been an integral part of the country's closed military establishment. Since demilitarisation in 1996, efforts have been made to open the Department and foster co-operation not only with the public, but also extend relations to the international community through visits to other countries by the Minister, the Commissioner and other senior members of the Department, as well as to host visiting delegations.
During 2000/2001, the Department decided to place rehabilitation at the centre of all its activities in order to strike a balance between rehabilitation and the safe custody of inmates. This major paradigm shift brought up the need for the re-skilling of officials in rehabilitation techniques thereby enhancing rehabilitation.
The use of narcotic substances in prisons has been a real threat to rehabilitation efforts as well as to provision of care and support to inmates. However, since 2001 all offenders have been undergoing screening on admission to determine any drug dependency. Educational programmes are being undertaken to advise inmates on dangers of substance abuse, apart from providing medical treatment to those who require it.
Progress was registered on efforts to root out corruption in the Department, including implementation of the recommendations of the Jali Commission, which were also brought to the attention of the public. The Jali Commission was the result of a request by the Minister of Correctional Services to the President in 2001 to establish a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate allegations of corruption, mismanagement and crime in certain South African prisons.

Following the countrywide anti-corruption road-show undertaken in 2002 and which saw the strengthening of anti-corruption mechanisms within the Department, recent figures show that over 500 various cases have come to the fore over the past year, dating from 1996 to present. The new structure includes the establishment of an internal capacity that will root out and provide sanctions against corruption, while also ensuring that corruption prevention becomes an integral part of the management responsibilities within the Department.

The Department decided to champion the virtues of the Restorative Justice Approach as instrumental to the restoration of relationships for successful integration, notably from the launch of this approach in 2001 and at various forums since then. This approach was adopted upon the realisation that our current justice system does not pursue healing as its primary goal but punishment, leaving the victim, their families and the community out in the cold. The emphasis is on the importance of the victim, families and community members participating in the healing process and holding the offender directly accountable to the people they have violated.
Since 2001 the Department has constructed fourteen skills training centres throughout the country to enable inmates to acquire skills in computers, brick laying, woodwork, welding, garment-making, business skills and so on as part of the rehabilitation process. This is to prepare them for re-integration into society so that they can easily be absorbed into the industrial market and minimise the chances of recidivism. These training facilities are also being availed to members of neighbouring communities who may also empower themselves by acquiring necessary skills, apart from promoting co-operation and greater interaction between the Department and the community.
The Department decided to launch and roll out its poverty alleviation programme to various provinces and thus make an impact in the improvement of the lives of ordinary South Africans, especially those living in disadvantaged communities. Since the launch of the programme in 2002 individual prisons have engaged prison labour in various projects especially in agriculture where the produce is donated to poor members of communities living in the vicinity of our prisons.
Since 2002, several strategies meant to reduce overcrowding in prisons were made public. Overcrowding in South Africa should be understood within the context of our being classified as the fourth most aggressive jailer in the world after the United States, Russia and Belarus with about 420 South African residents per 100, 000 being in prison.
In 2002, strategies meant to reduce overcrowding including the renovation and expansion of prison facilities, were announced, particularly the implementation of the "New Generation" prison design concept.
The Department started releasing prisoners whose parole dates were forwarded by ten months and this decision affected more than 7 000 prisoners throughout the country during 2003.
Through consultation with colleagues in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster, the awaiting trial prison population came down for the first time last year as a result of an agreement for the court processes to be speeded up through Saturday courts and the free participation of the Law Society of South Africa in dealing with court cases to promote plea-bargaining. It must be understood that about one-third of South Africa's prison population is awaiting trial. The Law Society has since decided to provide pro bono services as their contribution to assist those who cannot afford heavy legal fees.
The Department continued to promote and strengthen partnerships with the community through Imbizo whereby a platform was provided for the community to raise its concerns and also to inform the communities of Government activities. Since 2002, they have become a forum for the community to know what Government is doing for them and for Government to identify the needs of the people.
In 2002/2003 the Department instituted a restructuring process in order to meet the Government's overall service delivery objectives as well as to place individuals into positions where they could better serve the Department in accordance with their qualifications and experience. The process was informed by the service delivery range that lies at the core of the offender rehabilitation process: the realisation that rehabilitation goes far beyond skills acquisition and productive work, although these form an essential part of the process.
A strategic plan for HIV/AIDS was approved in 2002 and it is in the process of implementation as well as a prevalence survey to determine the extent of the disease in the Department. It is expected that significant progress in this regard will be registered in the next few months.
The question of children and juveniles in prison was addressed in a serious manner in various parts of the country since 2002, so that other forms of correction are exercised other than imprisonment. Efforts were also made that those who cannot avoid incarceration should be accommodated separately from the adult population. Another objective is to seek cooperation with non-governmental organisations to provide services, which meet the needs of children under correction.
The Department has responded positively to Government's efforts to promote the policy of Black Economic Empowerment by facilitating the participation of previously disadvantaged groups in Departmental projects. Since 2002, the Department has made deliberate efforts to ensure that black-owned companies are afforded the opportunity to participate in our construction projects.
In 2003 the Department hosted a meeting of Ministers of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) responsible for corrections and information was exchanged on issues of general concern in the region. The Johannesburg Declaration was adopted to enable the Department to take the whole process of co-operation forward. It is expected that further meetings will take place to keep the momentum going and foster better communication. The process aims to achieve a corrections and justice platform within SADC to enhance co-operation on correctional and justice matters within the region.
In 2002, the Department developed a new White Paper. The Cabinet recently approved the draft White Paper on Corrections in South Africa to replace the 1994 White Paper on Correctional Services. This draft White Paper on corrections arises out of a need for a long-term strategic policy and operational framework that recognizes corrections as a societal responsibility and the need for the Department of Correctional Services to gear all its activities to serve a rehabilitation mission.

More still needs to be done during the next few months and years to meet some of the outstanding challenges and the Department will be identifying strategies to tackle the challenges that lie ahead:

We have decided to continue to devise strategies, which will strengthen our partnerships with the community and involve them in the implementation of departmental projects.
In order to encourage a more efficient implementation of our rehabilitation programmes the Department has decided to encourage a greater integration and involvement of Non-Governmental Organisations.
More concerted efforts will be aimed at finding and implementing other solutions to the problem of overcrowding in our prisons. In this regard, bringing the number of awaiting trial prisoners to manageable levels is crucial to the reduction of overcrowding and is to be effected through ongoing management of this challenge by the departments in the JCPS Cluster.
We have decided to embark on instilling a spirit of affinity with the vision and mission of the Department by the members of staff and alignment with the Department's Code of Conduct. This will be a conduit to the infusion of moral regeneration principles among members. A clearer understanding of Moral Regeneration has to be fostered throughout the Department.
The Department will continue to seek ways and means of eliminating all forms of corruption and maladministration in the Department by strengthening the structures that are already in place and devising long-term solutions to this problem. Progress so far is commendable but more needs to be done to change the mindset of the average member of the Department.
The Department has decided to continue current initiatives which have already been started, to promote co-operation between correctional institutions in the SADC region and expanding this cooperation to other parts of the world in line with the mission and vision of the Department.

In conclusion, let me point out that the Department of Correctional Services recognises the enormous challenge it has to change the profile of the correctional official from that of prison warder perceived to be prone to corrupt influences to a role model and a rehabilitator. This change is however no longer optional as correctional officials are best placed to influence offenders negatively or positively.

The Department is looking forward to a time when every convicted prisoner will be afforded an opportunity to be corrected. When such a time comes, the Department hopes that society will not be found wanting through unwillingness to re-integrate rehabilitated citizens.

We acknowledge our short-comings in the field of corrections, therefore we do not only rely on the co-operation of our society but also on the goodwill of members of the international community such as yourselves.

We can only achieve our objectives if we continue to receive the tacit support of institutions like Howard University and continue to enjoy the benefits of our historical ties, which will be enjoyed by generations and generations of our people.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
15 January 2004

Source: Department of Correctional Services (http://www.dcs.gov.za)