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11 June 2008

Correctional Services Deputy Minister, Loretta Jacobus, has called upon broader society – individuals, families, communities, civil society and the private sector – to join hands in the fight against crime and keep children and young people out of prisons.

Tabling her department's budget to Parliament's National Council of Provinces (NCOP) yesterday, Deputy Minister Jacobus, lamented the fact that, whilst South Africa was reaping the fruits of the struggle against apartheid, gallantly fought for by the "Class of 76", many children and young people were languishing in prisons.

"Our mission today is to create an environment where today's youth can also make the best use of the foundation laid by the "Class of 76". We must address challenges that face families, communities and the broader society currently, like unemployment, lack of education, family violence, HIV and AIDS, and peer pressure." Deputy Minister Jacobus said.

She said the reality facing the South African youth demanded that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) must, alongside improving security, emphasise rehabilitation and development programmes, aimed at turning these young people into law abiding, socially responsible and productive citizens.

Strengthening the capacity of correctional services to deliver on its core mandate, is an integral part of government's priority of consolidating and advancing the fight against crime. As announced by the President in his State of the Nation Address earlier this year, these priorities include, among others, the revamping of the criminal justice system to intensify the offensive against crime.

Deputy Minister Jacobus said that the White Paper on correctional services provided for the department to intervene in ways that could turn an offender into a socially responsible and law-abiding citizen who builds instead of harming society.

"As a result, we have established a number of strategic and sustainable partnerships with other government departments and civil society organisations. For example, the DCS and the President's Award for Youth Empowerment Programme are currently engaged in skills training initiatives involving over 2 000 inmates from 65 correctional centres around the country."

She said the department had intensified levels of offender participation in various programmes which include sport, arts, culture, agriculture, and skills development programmes in collaboration with the Department of Labour.

Whilst the DCS sees itself as a place of new beginnings, we are concerned at the fast-growing trend of children who are in our custody for having committed serious violent crimes.

"But let me also announce that one area of great achievement is the reduction of the number of children (in general) incarcerated in correctional centres. We have reduced the numbers of children in correctional centres by 51 percent from 4 129 in 2003 to 2 079 in 2007. This came about as a result of integrated intervention of Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) and Social Sector clusters that have taken collaboration to new heights over the years."

"Currently we are assessing possible multiple implications of the Child Justice Bill on Correctional Services to ensure appropriate design of its rollout programme under the guidance of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development."

Deputy Minister Jacobus added that the department had reviewed its comprehensive HIV and AIDS programme, in line with the National Strategic Plan (NSP) (2007 to 2011) and continued to improve on its implementation resulting in the following achievements:
* 376 officials trained as Master Trainers and Peer Educators
* 296 support groups were established while also running nearly 6 000 HIV and AIDS awareness and health education sessions
* 320 were trained on voluntary counselling and testing
* Currently there are 16 accredited Antiretroviral (ARV) sites in correctional services with 4 294 offenders being on ARV therapy.

She said the department had also made a clear undertaking before to intensify efforts aimed at mainstreaming victims' roles and responsibilities in the management of the offender population, particularly in the parole system. "We invested a lot on this project, including the provision of training, amongst others, victim empowerment to the chairpersons and their deputies of the 52 Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) as well as all their support personnel."

"The continued stigmatisation, marginalisation and social isolation of former offenders often lead to repeat offending and a continuation of the cycle of crime. Let us, therefore, embrace and welcome ex-offenders and acknowledge the fact that they have paid their dues to society. Let us, indeed, place all hands on deck to ensure that it is indeed business unusual."

Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
11 June 2008