SUBMISSION
TO THE JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND
STATUS OF WOMEN
COMMITTEE
MEETING ON ENGENDERING THE BUDGET – CAPE TOWN 9 OCTOBER 2001
1. INTRODUCTION
Esteemed Chair and
members of the Joint Monitoring Committee on the Improvement of the Quality of
Life and Status of Women, pursuant to your request to present a submission on
the current quality of life and status of women in the South African Department
of Correctional Services, the following can be said
2.
OVERVIEW OF THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL
SERVICES
Previously the
Department of Correctional Services was solely responsible for the detaining of
offenders in prison and the safe custody thereafter. At that stage the focus was more on the punitive role of
incarceration rather than rehabilitation and development of prisoners
Currently the Department of Correctional Services is moving towards a paradigm
shift of striking a balance between safe custody and rehabilitation. The Department’s initiative is to place
rehabilitation at the center of all activities in order to ensure that the
entire prison staff routine and everyday activities form part of a unified
programme. Given the Department’s
crucial role in the Criminal Justice System, the long-term goal of
rehabilitation is crime prevention
The prison working environment was predominantly male orientated due to the
fact that the majority of prisoners were males with very few female and young
prisoners.
The situation of women in the field of corrections needs to be understood
against the backdrop of a field that has until recently been regarded as the
sole reserve of males. Part of the
explanation of this phenomenon is the fact the prison population still
continues to be overwhelmingly male.
The overall result has always been that the number of males employed as
correctional officials increased with the escalation in the male prisoner
population whilst the number of female correctional officials did not increase
proportionally.
With the promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act
108 of 1996) as well as subsequent legislative and policy frameworks, the
Department of Correctional Services sought to reverse the then prevailing
patterns.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa enshrines the rights of
prisoners to conditions of detention that are consistent with human
dignity. In its quest to carry out its
constitutional mandate, the Department of Correctional Services concluded that
harsh conditions, rigid discipline and dehumanising treatment of prisoners
failed to achieve the desired end, and instead produced individuals who were
bitter, angry and unfit to go back to society.
Pursuant to the Constitutional imperatives and the core functions of the
Department, i.e. safe custody, humane incarceration and rehabilitation of
prisoners, the Department committed itself to embrace a new paradigm shift and
move from the punitive to the rehabilitative approach.
Despite the shift in emphasis, the recent audit of policies, systems,
procedures and processes revealed that the past’s all-encompassing legacy still
pervades many aspects of the Department’s daily operations, administrative
responsibilities and employment patterns.
However the process of transformation in the Department has brought
about several initiatives towards achieving equality.
In order to achieve its core objectives, the Department of Correctional
Services has identified the following seven (7) programmes as part of the
National Strategic Plan, namely:
Programme 1 Administration
Programme 2 Incarceration
Programme 3 Care of offenders
Programme 4 Development of offenders
Programme 5 Community Corrections
Programme 6 Re-integration into the
community
Programme 7 Asset procurement,
maintenance and operating partnership
The total Budget
allocated for the implementation of the above programmes is R 6, 1
billion. This budget allocation does
not cater for needs of specific designated groups e.g. women, youth, persons
with disabilities and the aged. The
Department of Correctional Services is of the opinion that the mainstreaming of
gender should be central to the allocation of the budget.
The Department of
Correctional Services is committed to the promotion of equal treatment of both
men and women within the Department through the eliminating of all forms of
unfair discrimination. It seeks to
promote and afford its employees equal opportunities. Women have been and still face numerous forms of discrimination
and mostly disadvantaged with respect to socio-economic resources and decision-making
powers.
The attainment of
gender equality therefore has to focus particularly on the situation of women,
however both men and women have to be part of the process and onboard for
effective equality to be achieved. The
Department envisages an environment that encourages broad representation of
women in all levels and categories within the Department as a whole.
3.
OVERVIEW OF BUDGET ALLOCATION
The total budget of the
Department of Correctional Services is allocated in the following manner:
4.
BREAKDOWN OF PROGRAMMES AND BUDGETS
Although the budget
allocation is not engendered per se, the Department of Correctional Services is
progressively positioning itself in line with the view of National Legislation
and Policies in order to provide services that meet the needs of women,
including the youth, aged and persons with disabilities.
5.
POLICY, RESOURCES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DCS INITIATIVES – IMPACT ON WOMEN
The Department has
developed a number of policies that benefit women directly for example the
Policy on Mothers and Infants and Equity Policy. For the first time provision has been made in the Correctional
Services Act (111 of 1998) to remove practices that disadvantaged women in
correctional services.
Legislation with regard
to the new Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards will enable women to make
representations that could influence the placement of perpetrators on parole or
correctional supervision e.g. victims of rape, sexual harassment etc.
5.1 Female offenders
The Department is
responsible for taking appropriate measures to ensure development of women who
find themselves in prison. All possible
measures are taken to ensure that female prisoners are detained in a way that
is in their best interest under the circumstances – This entails:
·
Conditions and treatment which takes account of the age of young female
offenders.
·
Conditions and circumstances which ensure respect for their human rights.
·
Conditions which ensure their safety and protection.
·
Provisions of the type of care best suited to the individual and protection of
physical, mental, moral integrity and well being.
·
Participating in treatment and development programmes, which have been
specifically, designed to satisfy her particular needs and to develop her
potential. This enhances the female
prisoner’s co-responsibility and ownership of her rehabilitation process.
Female prisoners do not
pose a major threat to prison security and they are much less inclined to
escape from custody. The average escape
rate of female prisoners has been 0% per annum. Personal safety, continuous safe custody as well as development
of female offenders is however, a priority to the Department.
Mother and Child Units
have been established in five (5) provinces namely Western Cape (Pollsmoor
Prison), Gauteng (Johannesburg and Pretoria Prisons), Free State (Kroonstad),
Kwazulu-Natal (Durban Prison) and Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth Prison).
5.2 Incarceration
trends:
The Department of
Correctional Services has approved accommodation capacity for 105 016 prisoners
in 235 active prisons. There are presently 8 female prisons, namely:
·
Gauteng two (2) – Pretoria and Johannesburg Female Prisons
·
Western Cape two (2) – Polsmoor and Worcester Female Prisons
·
Free State one (1) – Kroonstad Female Prison
·
Northern Province one (1) – Thohoyandou Female Prison
·
Kwazulu/Natal two (2) – Durban and Pietermaritzburg Female Prison
·
Mpumalanga North West, Eastern Cape and Northern Province have sections of for
female prisoners like in the other provinces.
The female prisoners
are accommodated specifically designated female sections specially designed to
cater for the needs of female prisoners. These female sections are completely
separated from male sections.
Female prisons and
sections for female prisoners have accommodation capacity for a total of 4 351
female prisoners, which constitutes 4.14 % of the total accommodation capacity
of all active prison in South Africa. There were on the other hand a total of 4
046 female prisoners (sentenced and unsentenced) in custody in the mentioned
available accommodation for female prisoners. The female prisoner population
constitutes 2.40 % of the total prisoners population as at 31 July 2001. The
implication of the aforementioned is that available accommodation for female
prisoners is only 92.99 % occupied while the available accommodation for male
prisoners is 163 .36 % occupied.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sentence
Categories |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
Unsentenced: |
1,099 |
49,803 |
50,902 |
|
Sentenced: |
|
|
|
|
0 - 6
Months |
498 |
5,307 |
5,805 |
|
>6 -
12 Months |
289 |
6,407 |
6,696 |
|
>12 -
<24 Months |
185 |
6,095 |
6,280 |
|
2 - 3
Years |
479 |
16,271 |
16,750 |
|
>3 - 5
Years |
462 |
15,878 |
16,340 |
|
>5 - 7
Years |
289 |
12,738 |
13,027 |
|
>7 -
10 Years |
332 |
19,917 |
20,249 |
|
>10 -
15 Years |
212 |
14,390 |
14,602 |
|
>15 -
20 Years |
75 |
6,300 |
6,375 |
|
>20 to
Life |
97 |
8,929 |
9,026 |
5.3 Mothers with their
Infants in Prison
Section 20 of
Correctional Services Act No. 111 of 1998 deals with Mothers of Young Children
which stipulates that a female prisoner may be permitted to have her child with
her until such child is five years of age.
|
INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN IN PRISON
WITH THEIR MOTHERS: JULY 2001 |
|
Ages |
Admitted
with mother during July |
Born in
detention during July |
Transferred
to foster parents during July 2001 |
In
detention on 31 July 2001 |
|
12 Mnths
and younger |
60 |
0 |
56 |
86 |
|
>1 - 2
Years |
35 |
0 |
27 |
66 |
|
>2 - 3
Years |
16 |
0 |
12 |
19 |
|
>3 - 4
Years |
4 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
|
>4
Years |
5 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
|
Total |
120 |
0 |
99 |
182 |
In terms of
the Infants Policy a female prisoner is permitted, subject to such conditions
as may be prescribed, to have her child with her until such child is two years
of age. The accommodation of an infant
in prison remains an interim measure.
Infants have to be placed out as soon as it is possible. However, each
case is dealt with individually, taking into account the best interest of the
child.
The Department is
responsible for food, clothing, health care and facilities for sound
development of the child for the period that such a child remains in prison
where practical. Care of pregnant women
also receives attention, which inter alia includes pre-natal and post-natal
programmes, basic health education and family planning.
5.4 Mother and
Child Units
The Department must
ensure that a Mother and Child Unit is available for the accommodation of
female prisoners and children.
Mothers with their
infants/young children are kept in a separate Mother and Child Unit in a prison
where the surroundings and facilities are conducive to sound physical, social
and mental care and development.
In order to prevent
institutionalisation and to facilitate bridging during placement and to
contributing towards sound child care and development, it is necessary to expose
the infants to a normal way of life as far as practically possible e.g.
attending crčches, routine visits to shopping centres, parks etc.
In this unit a mother
after giving birth will take on the duty of caring for the child on a full time
basis for 3 months and longer if the situation necessitates it.
5.5 Population Trends
Statistics of female
offenders in custody as on 31/07/2001: Sentenced prisoners, per crime category
and per province.
·
The most common crime committed by female sentenced offenders is aggressive
with a total of 1431, followed by economical with 1051, narcotics 261, other
189 and the least is sexual which is 15. There were 2947 sentenced female
offenders on 31 July 2001 nation-wide.
·
The most common crime committed by female unsentenced offenders is aggressive
with a total of 497, followed by economical with 452, other crime 70, narcotics
47 and the least is sexual with 33.
There were 1099
unsentenced female offenders on 31 July 2001 nation-wide.
Statistics of Infants
and Children in custody with their mothers as on 31/07/01 per province:
·
From statistics received it is evident that Eastern Cape tops the list with
infants admitted with their mothers i.e. 33, followed by Kwazulu-Natal 28,
Western Cape 16, Gauteng 14, Northern Province 12, Mpumalanga 8, Free State 3,
North West 3 and Northern Cape 2.
·
There were no infants born during mothers detention in all provinces during
July 2001.
·
As on 31/07/2001 Kwazulu-Natal has the most infants, in detention with mothers
i.e. 37, followed by Eastern Cape 33, Northern Province 28, Western Cape 20,
Gauteng 20, Free State 16, Mpumalanga 13, Northern Cape 11 and North West with the
least at 4.
Every possible means is
made to place out infants and children to the care of families and foster
parents as early as they turn 2 years and or even younger, however, each case
is dealt with individually and no rigid directives are applied. On 31/07/2001 there
were 182 infants and children in custody with their mothers nation-wide.
5.6 Children and Youth
The Department has thirteen (13) Youth Correctional/Development Centres for the
separate detention of young female offenders.
The objectives of Youth Correctional Centres are, inter alia, the
provision of distinctive custodial, treatment and development programmes as
well as religious care in an environment which is conducive to the development
of young offenders.
Correctional Services
Act, 1998 (Act No 111 of 1998), Section 19, provides for the care and
development of children in prison. In
order to adhere to national and international norms and standards governing
child and youth care and development, the Department of Correctional Services
has developed a Youth Policy. This
policy addresses the implementation of children’s rights and responsibilities,
as well as providing for their rights for survival, protection, participation
and development.
5.7 Health Care
Services
Prisoners including female
prisoners are entitled to the same level of care as that provided in the wider
community. The Department is therefore responsible for providing comprehensive
and basic health care services to offenders within the principles of Primary
Health Care.
Female prisoners are provided with the same health care as male prisoners
except that they also have access to health services, which are relevant to
women’s specific needs and to specialized interventions for example
gynaecological and obstetric facilities.
Current Departmental
policies were reviewed to align them to Department of Health’s guidelines. The
following provision were included in the Department’s policy:
·
Women’s reproductive health:
-
Management of pregnancies within prisons (ante-natal care, delivery and post
natal care)
-
Breast self examination
-
Contraception
-
Family planning
-
Health education on sexually transmitted infections, PAP smears and any other
health related topics
·
Integrated management of Childhood Diseases, which includes preventive,
curative and rehabilitative care.
The policy also makes
provision for prevention of mother-to-child-transmission MTCT (HIV/AIDS). The
following HIV/AIDS policy guidelines have also been distributed to the various
Provinces:
-
Managing HIV in children
-
Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS
-
Feeding of infants of HIV positive mothers
-
Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission and management of HIV
-
positive pregnant women
Female prisoners are
entitled to terminate pregnancy in terms of the new Termination of Pregnancy
Act.
The Department is faced
with a challenge of providing nursing personnel especially registered midwifes
to prison facilities where women are accommodated. When a woman is pregnant and requires medical attention she is
transferred to the nearest prison where there is a midwife or referred to the
nearest public health facility.
During health education
sessions and when a female prisoner consults the nursing staff, health
information is provided based on health needs. Information include amongst
other the following:
·
Parenting skills for female prisoners
·
Smoke quitting programme
·
Breast feeding
·
Family planning
·
Breast examinations
·
Importance of regular PAP smears
·
Importance of good eating habits
·
Immunisation
·
Sexually transmitted infections
·
Substance abuse counselling
An HIV/AIDS
structure has been established in the Department at National and Provincial
levels to manage and co-ordinate HIV/AIDS programs and activities. Women are
also catered for in these programs.
5.8 Female Correctional
Staff
The promulgation of the
Employment Equity Act, 1998 and the White Paper on Affirmative Action in the
Public Service, 1998 sought to reverse the then prevailing discriminatory
employment practices against women in the Department of Correctional Services.
The following summaries
of statistics reveal that there has been a steady growth in the number of
female officials in the Department of Correctional Services:
|
DATE |
GLOBAL
PERSONNEL DISTRIBUTION |
NUMBER OF
OFFICIALS |
PERCENTAGE |
|
December
‘96 |
White
males |
9337 |
32% |
|
|
Black
males |
16835 |
57% |
|
|
Females |
3180 |
11% |
|
December
‘97 |
White
males |
8524 |
29% |
|
|
Black
males |
17652 |
60% |
|
|
Females |
3379 |
11% |
|
December
‘98 |
White
males |
8060 |
27% |
|
|
Black
males |
18048 |
60% |
|
|
Females |
4089 |
14% |
|
December
‘99 |
White
males |
7770 |
24,1% |
|
|
Black
males |
18731 |
58,1% |
|
|
Females |
5716 |
17,73% |
|
December
2000 |
White
males |
7403 |
22,38% |
|
|
Black
males |
19507 |
58,97% |
|
|
Females |
6183 |
18,69% |
|
DATE |
SENIOR
MANAGEMENT |
NUMBER OF
OFFICIALS |
PERCENTAGE |
|
December
‘96 |
White
males |
58 |
72% |
|
|
Black
males |
18 |
22% |
|
|
Females |
5 |
6% |
|
December
‘97 |
White
males |
22 |
29% |
|
|
Black
males |
45 |
59% |
|
|
Females |
9 |
12% |
|
December
‘98 |
White
males |
25 |
31% |
|
|
Black
males |
41 |
51% |
|
|
Females |
14 |
18% |
|
December
‘99 |
White
males |
22 |
23,66% |
|
|
Black
males |
53 |
56,99% |
|
|
Females |
18 |
19,35% |
|
December
2000 |
White
males |
22 |
23,60% |
|
|
Black
males |
53 |
56,99% |
|
|
Females |
18 |
19,35% |
Remark: Due to the moratorium placed on recruitment,
appointment and transfers there were no significant changes between December
1999 and December 2000.
5.9 Systems in
place to advance Women in the Department of Correctional Services
In order to advance the
status of women and promote equality, the Department also embarked on a number
of initiatives at both local and national level.
A draft policy on Gender
as well as a concept Document of Gender Mainstreaming has been developed to
guide the Department towards improving the status of women. The various departmental sections are
expected to establish targets in terms the above. The Department employed a
Gender Focal Person (GFP) at the level of Assistant Director in the National
Office to ensure that gender issues are mainstreamed into the Departments core
business.
As part of the
department’s five (5) – year employment equity plan as required by the Employment
Equity Act, 1998, numeric targets were set for women at all levels throughout
the department, namely:
Black females 14,70%
White females 2,94%
Indian females 0,98%
Coloured females 1,96%
These targets are
strictly implemented and monitored throughout the department.
·
The Department celebrates national days for example National Women’s Day, and
observes 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women for the creation of
awareness on the plight of women – these activities are funded in the current
budget allocation
·
During 1998 the department conducted workshops on gender throughout the
provinces where discriminatory policies and practices that discouraged the
advancement of women were identified. In the year 2000 other workshops aimed at
popularising the Beijing Platform for Action and CEDAW were conducted in all
provinces to create awareness and attainment of gender equality. As a consequence of this process the
department is in the process of finalising the draft policy on gender.
·
The draft gender policy seeks to achieve the following objectives:
-
The operationalization of legislative and policy directives geared at
eradicating gender-based inequities within the department.
-
The creation of an enabling work environment for women, one that advocates for
their advancement based on ability or their capacity to acquire the requisite
skills within a reasonable period of time
-
Ensuring the mainstreaming of gender in all departmental activities
·
The policy identified the following as key strategic areas of intervention:
-
recruitment and selection
¨
advertising
¨
selection interviews
¨
promotions
¨
transfers
-
training and development
¨
bursaries and study loans
-
reasonable accommodation
¨
leave
¨
flexible working hours
¨
violence against women
It is expected that the
implementation of the above policy will significantly increase the number of
women as well as improve their general condition within the department.
·
Bursaries
Of the 250 bursaries
allocated by the department to officials, 34% in the current financial years
has been allocated to women.
·
Violence against women – Sexual Harassment Policy
The Department has developed a sexual harassment policy and senior managers
have been trained on the implementation of the policy. Staff has been educated through workshops
and other measures on sexual harassment and the Departmental Policy. The Departmental Basic Training has a module
developed by the Technikon SA that thoroughly addresses sexual harassment. The Department takes sexual harassment in a
serious light in that it has been classified as a misconduct that can lead to
summary dismissal.
Since October 2000 to
date four employees have been subjected to disciplinary actions. One person was found guilty and received a
serious written warning, one was found not guilty and the other cases the
charges were withdrawn due to insufficient evidence. Due to fear of victimisation and retaliation, victims of sexual
harassment appear reluctant to report incidence
·
Benefits:
Due to changes in
personnel policy women can now also apply for housing subsidy
·
Recruitment:
The recruitment of
women takes place in accordance with the population ratio of the Province and
area where there are vacancies. All
discriminatory references in the policy and recruitment aids with regard to
women were eliminated.
·
Appointments:
Female applicants must
compete for any vacancy/post in entry post levels or promotion post levels on
an equal basis than their male counterparts in accordance with the post
specifications. The specific post
requirements of the post applied for will determine which type of person will
be suitable in filling the post.
Factors such as human dignity or the violation of a person’s right to
privacy specific job description will be covered in the duties of posts. This will also be applicable in the utilisation
of female Correctional Officials.
·
Utilisation:
The principle of merit
and efficiency applies to all promotions, with no distinction between race or
gender.
·
Personnel development:
The training of female
Correctional Officials is similar to that of their male counterparts, however
special needs of women (e.g. pregnant women, women with infants) are catered
for during training.
|
TRAINING
CENTRE |
TYPE OF
COURSE |
NUMBER
TRAINED |
PERCENTAGE
|
|
Zonderwater
Training College |
Short
Course |
128
Females of 192 in total |
66.6% |
|
Zonderwater
Training College |
Long
Course |
129
Females of 433 in total |
29.8% |
|
Kroonstad
Training College |
Long
Course |
161
Females of 460 in total |
35% |
|
Krugersdorp
Training Course |
National
Training Course |
21
Females of 133 in total |
15.8% |
|
|
Full
Range Leadership Course |
157
Females of 347 in total |
45.2% |
|
|
Management Orientation Course |
257
Females of 470 in total |
54.7% |
|
|
Investment
in Excellence Course |
70
Females of 174 in total |
40.2% |
|
|
Investigations
Officers Course |
9 Females
of 69 in total |
13% |
Management Development
Programmes e.g. The Presidential Strategic Leadership Development Programme is
provided in conjunction with SAMDI for senior management and makes provision
for both male and female managers in affirmed positions.
The need for the
education of Correctional Officials on gender issues in order to increase
awareness and enable employees to mainstream gender into their activities was
identified. This was registered as a staff training and development need with
Human Resource Development for implementation.
·
Leave
In compliance with the
basic conditions from the Employment Act 1997, the department implemented a
leave policy that provide for the needs of pregnant women that is, 4 months
maternity leave with full pay.
6.
REALLOCATION AND RESTRUCTURING OF THE BUDGET TO REFLECT THE NEEDS OF WOMEN
The following are the needs for women offenders within Correctional Services
which reflects re-allocation and re-structuring of the budget:-
· Renovating, repairing or building
of new structures where previously non-existent.
- Mother and Child Units be
built in each province and thereafter in each Managerial Area.
- Crčches for infants and
children be built within prison premises in each Managerial Area.
- Training of staff dealing
with female offenders including those with infants within Correctional
Services.
- Appointment of additional
staff that is professional members namely nursery teachers, nurses, child
minders as well as disciplinary personnel.
- Purchase of heating and
cooking apparatus for infants to receive food after hours (after lock-up).
- A distinctive dietary scale
to pregnant and lactating female prisoners i.e. different from other female
offenders.
The following are needs for female Correctional Officials within
Correctional Services, which reflects re-allocation and re-structuring of the
budget
·
Expansion of infrastructure, resources and facilities
-
Due to the fact that both male and female Correctional Officials can work in
either male or female prisons, the existing facilities and structures e.g.
ablution facilities,
-
Security aspects e.g. where the official may be more vulnerable to physical
harm or harassment, must be stepped up
-
Female suited bullet proof jackets/vests are being supplied
7.
ALLOCATION OF OFFENDER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
The purpose of rehabilitation is to provide a safe and appropriate
environment that is conducive to influencing offenders to learn and adopt
positive and appropriate value systems, thus creating a desire in them to lead
productive lives as law abiding citizens when they are released to the
community.
To
be effective, rehabilitation must incorporate all aspects of a prisoner’s life
namely intellectual, physical, social, psychological and spiritual
aspects. Therefore aspects such as education and training, learning a
trade, moral and spiritual enlightenment, personal development and preparation
for release are of the utmost importance.
Although the Budget for
Development of Offenders has increased by 2.4% this is however not necessarily
towards engendering it. Due to the fact
that previously treatment services were not based on a comprehensive assessment
of the prisoner, programmes were generic in nature and did not necessarily
address the developmental needs of prisoners
A comprehensive model
of intervention for the rehabilitation, that will assess the specialised needs
of the prisoner and ensure the provisioning of need based programmes, was
developed for correctional services.
Various workshops on the model of intervention for the training of
master trainers and professionals responsible for the rehabilitation process
have already been conducted in all provinces.
It is envisaged that this training will be rolled out to include all
Correctional Officials in the Department of Correctional Services.
7.1 Psychological
Services
The primary objective
of Psychological Services in DCS is to render need-oriented psychological
services to sentenced offenders (both male and female offenders) with the aim
to improve their personal and social growth, mental health and emotional well
being by using a perspective that emphasises the whole person.
There are currently
forty (40) psychologists employed by the Department, of which nine (9) are
males and thirty-one (31) females.
The Directorate
Psychological Services renders no programmes, which have been specifically
designed to satisfy the particular needs of female offenders. Psychological Services focuses on the
psychological needs, which are applicable to both female and male prisoners.
The core activities of
Psychological Services include:
Assessment
Counselling / Treatment
(individual therapy, group therapy, family and marital therapy)
Programmes (structured
programmes such as Investment in Excellence, body therapy, art therapy, stress
management, anger management. etc.)
Consultation (internal
stakeholders such as social workers, educationists, correctional officials and
external stakeholders such as universities, other professionals, volunteers,
etc).
Training (self and
others)
Research
Psychological services
are rendered according to the following priority order regardless of the gender
of the offender:
·
All suicide risks
·
All court referrals
·
Offenders with emotional problems, mental disturbances or persons who are under
psychiatric treatment. These DSM-IV
cases include e.g. psychotics, neurotics, mood-, adjustment- and personality
disorders
·
Offenders previously treated for psychiatric/psychological problems
·
Sexual and aggressive offenders
·
Juveniles
·
Own request (to be seen within 7 days)
·
Persons with HIV/AIDS
·
Other referrals
Overall feedback
indicates that the impact of psychological services on the female offenders is
positive. Statistics for the female
offenders at the following prisons for the year January 2000 –December 2000 are
as follows:
Port Elizabeth: 17
Pollsmoor : 271
Grootvlei :
123
Malmesbury : 3
Nelspruit :
13
Durban Westville : 55
Pretoria: 116
Pietermaritzburg: 1
At Durban Westville
Prison there is a high rate of referral resulting in the necessity for
psychologists to render services on a daily basis. Female offenders are seen both in prison as well as at their
various places of work, this impacted positively on the overall improvement of
female prisoners psychosocial behaviour.
Female offenders also receive gender sensitive training aimed at
empowering them to cope with the prison environment.
In the Johannesburg
prison, Miss Kristen Meyer (a registered Drama Therapist) is currently running
a DRAMA THERAPY GROUP on a weekly basis in the female prison. Drama students at
the University of the Witwatersrand will also be presenting a drama (play) to
offenders and staff at the female prison on the 9th October 2001. It is called “Um…Somebody Say something and
focuses on female identity in South Africa.
Furthermore the
psychologists applied for a researcher to conduct research in the Female
Prison. The title of the Doctoral
dissertation is: “Women in Prison: The Communal Reconstruction of Crisis And The
Reformation Of Healing Identities”.
Corporate Planning in the Department of Correctional Services has
approved this research.
Due to referrals for psychotherapeutic
intervention on daily basis and the high caseloads, final year students in
Psychology from the Rand Afrikaans University conduct individual interventions
with offenders in the Female Prison.
These students will also be initiating Self Awareness and Integrated
Life Planning groups in the Female Prison.
Psychologists pursue
goals of improving rehabilitation practices and changing environments to
broaden opportunities available to offenders / persons with
dysfunction’s/disabilities in social relationships, employment, education,
community and leisure activities. It also assists with the optimilization of
potential and assists with offender rehabilitation and re-integration into the
community.
The goal of the
Department is to protect the public through safe custody, humane incarceration
and rehabilitation. Psychological
Services contribute to the developmental obligation of the DCS towards both
community and the offenders, by rendering need-oriented treatment and
development services.
7.2 Religious Care
Female Religious
workers are trained as councillors in order to do crisis intervention. The
religious workers present Bible studies with subjects aimed at addressing
problems women experience in prison. Religious Care Workers are constantly made
aware of the special plight and needs of the female prisoner through the
attendance of Religious Care conferences and workshops.
In the past the Woman
Auxiliary Committee of the Dutch Reformed Church presented a special course in
embroidering, baking and cake decorating and designing of dresses at female
prisons. Special courses e.g. hair
design, general body care and hygiene are offered to female prisoners. The Department of Correctional Services is
aware that these courses may enforce gender stereotyping but in an effort to
reduce the stigma surrounding these courses as female “domain” the provisioning
of these courses is also extended to males and vice versa.
Specialised
programmes for women in prison:
·
Aids Awareness programmes
·
Women prayer league
·
Celebration of National Women's Day: Different speakers are invited, for
example from church organisations, NGO’s and CBO’s. to address female prisoners
on various topics of interest
·
Sports, recreational and cultural programmes are also provided to female
prisoners
The
chaplaincy was for a long time regarded as a male exclusive domain, this has
however changed with the appointment of two full time female chaplains in DCS.
7.3 Social Work
Services
Number of Department of
Correctional Services social work personnel promoting programmes and issues
that are gender related is 470
|
|
|
|
|
|
FREE
STATE |
KROONSTAD: FEMALE SECTION |
· Life skills programme which
included group work and support services. |
· Social Worker [Department of
Correctional Services]. |
|
|
GROOTVLEI: FEMALE SECTION |
· Facilities for infants like toys,
sand-pit etc. |
· Social Worker of the Department of
Correctional Services and Head of the Section. |
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
WESTERN
CAPE |
GEORGE |
· Daily TV programmes/more
educational games |
· Department of Correctional
Services |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NORTH
WEST |
POTCHEFSTROOM |
· Every 3rd month – HIV
Counselling |
· Social Worker/Medical Personnel |
|
KWAZULU/ NATAL |
|
|
|
|
|
GLENCOE:
POMEROY PRISON |
· Expose the infants to the outside
world by taking walks and playing out in the pit sand. |
· Social Workers: Mrs Dlamini. |
|
|
DE AAR |
· Parental Care. |
Department
of Correctional Services |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NORTHERN
CAPE |
VICTORIA
WEST |
· Puppet shows |
· Social Worker from the Department
of Correctional Services. |
|
EASTERN
CAPE |
PORT
ELIZABETH PRISON |
· Parental Skills Training |
· C.M.R. Prison/Social Workers |
|
|
EAST
LONDON |
· Free to grow life skills |
· Social Workers |
|
|
|
· Violence against women |
· Exhibition – Social Workers |
|
|
|
· Free to grow Life skills |
· Social Workers |
|
|
|
· Free to grow Life skills |
· Social Workers – the Department of
Correctional Services. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NORTHERN
PROVINCE |
THOHOYANDOU
FEMALE PRISON |
· Life Skills programme |
· The Department of Correctional
Services Social Worker |
|
|
|
|
Awareness
on the following: |
· The Department of Correctional
Services Social Worker |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skills
Training on the following: |
· The Department of Correctional
Services Social Worker/Education and Training |
|
|
|
· Life Skills |
· The Department of Correctional
Services Social Worker |
|
MPUMALANGA |
|
|
|
|
|
NELSPRUIT |
· Life Skills |
· The Department of Correctional
Services Social Worker |
7.4 Education and
Training
The purpose of
education and training is to develop and enhance the educational level and
improve the skills of the prisoner in order to facilitate their reintegration
into the community.
All prisoners have a
right to basic Education and Training.
This is a national priority and commitment.
· TARGET GROUPS:
¨
Youth (male and females)
¨
Adults (male and females)
¨
Persons with disabilities
¨
Pre-releases
¨
Unskilled and illiterates
· PROGRAMMES
Education and Training programmes are presented at 81 prisons by qualified
educationists, assisted by selected and trained functional personnel, study
leaders and temporary personnel and volunteers nationally. Where no qualified educationists are
available, supportive education and training programmes, which focus on
literacy and recreation, are presented by functional as well as temporary
personnel and volunteers. Programmes
offered:
|
Education
and Training |
Description
of service / programme |
|
ABET |
This
course is offered to all sentenced prisoners and is aimed at all illiterate
inmates. ABET goes beyond reading and
writing skills. It includes the
notion of communication, numeracy and understanding of the world in which we
live, as well as practical skills. |
|
Mainstream
education and Technical studies |
The
programmes are conducted as a continuation of the ABET programme. Free education up to Grade 12 (including
N1 – N3 technical studies) is provided to all juveniles detained at Youth
Development Centres. This programme
is offered in cooperation with national and provincial departments of
education and the prescribed areas and curricula of these departments bind
the DCS. |
|
Correspondence
studies |
These
courses are offered through a medium of correspondence, e.g. UNISA, Technisa,
Damelin, etc. Educationists will in these cases only offer administrative
support and study guidance. All prisoners who follow correspondence courses
do so at their own time and expenses. The educationists will in these cases only offer study guidance
and help in respect making of administrative arrangements. It should be ensured that the prisoners
have enough available funds to complete the study year and that the private
funds are reserved for the purpose of studies. |
|
Vocational
training |
Vocational
training represents those fields in which artisan status can be
obtained. A prisoner may receive a
certificate from the Department of Labour or from a relevant Sector Education
and Training Authority (SETA).
Training is provided in the Building, Workshop and Hairdressing trades
according to the competency based modular approach and outcomes-based
training. All training is provided in line with the Skills Development Act
(97 of 1998). |
|
Occupational
Skills Training |
This
training is aimed at equipping prisoners with basic skills, e.g. welding,
bricklaying, woodwork, needlework, leatherwork and pottery. Artisan status cannot be obtained but
specialized training is required.
Certificates are issued in cooperation with recognised external
institutions. Selection of types of
training is dictated by the market requirements. |
|
Entrepreneurial
Skills Training |
Prisoners are trained in basic competencies to be capable
to start their own business or small business holding after their
release. Entrepreneurial training is
coupled with skills training.
Prisoners who are not involved in this training are acquainted to an
economic lifestyle after release. |
|
Computer
Based Training |
Training
is provided in basic computer skills at various training centres. The aim is
to implement multi-media learning systems at strategic positions nationally
in order to assist prisoners with their studies. Computer based training enable individuals to progress on own
time and pace. Computer based
training allows inmates to gain computer operating skills. |
|
Recreation
and library education |
Recreation
educational programmes |
8.
INCREASE IN CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
8.1 The Current Situation: Community
Corrections
The directorate is facing a huge challenge regarding the increase in community
corrections population. This problem is
attributed to the fact that post establishment of community corrections has to
be increased to accommodate these changes.
The community corrections population is reflected below:
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
POPULATION
|
PROVINCE |
Average
for 1996 |
Average
for 1997 |
Average
for 1998 |
Average
for 1999 |
Average
for 2000 |
Average
until |
|
PC
Eastern Cape |
4 589 |
5 338 |
5 720 |
6 187 |
7 829 |
8 349 |
|
PC Free
State |
4 184 |
4 146 |
3 880 |
4 033 |
4 642 |
5 307 |
|
PC Gauteng |
11 172 |
12 264 |
12 899 |
13 014 |
13 204 |
13 545 |
|
PC KwaZulu/Natal |
7 605 |
9 313 |
9 101 |
9 263 |
10 404 |
12 405 |
|
PC
Mpumalanga |
2 851 |
3 196 |
3 201 |
3 505 |
4 821 |
3 896 |
|
PC North
West |
3 032 |
3 741 |
4 513 |
4 531 |
4 821 |
5 177 |
|
PC
Northern Cape |
1 916 |
1 994 |
2 104 |
2 108 |
2 278 |
2 372 |
|
PC
Northern Prov |
2 141 |
2 973 |
2 896 |
3 768 |
4 688 |
5 283 |
|
PC
Western Cape |
11 413 |
12 550 |
12 170 |
10 953 |
11 173 |
11 340 |
|
RSA |
48 903 |
55 517 |
56 483 |
57 362 |
62 746 |
67 674 |
The statistics above
illustrate an increase in community corrections population over the past five
years. The continuous increase in
community corrections population places an enormous strain on the directorate
available resources. This remains a
real problem that handicaps the effective functioning of the directorate in
many respects. In addition, the
directorate implemented Sections 62(f), 71 and 72 of the Criminal Procedure
Act, since January 2001.
Another challenge facing the directorate is to trace a large number of
absconders, which are ever increasing.
However, the establishment of the directorate has not been substantially
increased for quite a while. These
scores of absconders still need to be traced with limited number of available
resources.
A demanding challenge facing the directorate is to reduce the ratio between
personnel and offenders. This challenge
is compounded by the fact that the community corrections personnel are not
increasing substantially to face up this huge task. The ratio between personnel and offenders under the system of
community corrections is reflected below.
|
|
1998/99 |
1999/2000 |
2000/2001 |
|
Ratio
between personnel and probationers/parolees |
|
|
|
The statistic above
reflects a slight increase in the ratio between personnel and probationers/
parolees/awaiting trial persons, but no additional officials were allocated to
Community Corrections. The number of
officials working at Community Corrections countrywide is 2 065 financed posts
of which 1 943 are filled.
The major difficulties
to effective and efficient functioning of Community Corrections are identified
as a lack of multi skill personnel and inadequate funding. The Directorate urgently needs multi-skilled
personnel to compile and submit pre-sentence and assessment reports to the
courts, and to present programmes to offenders placed under the control and
supervision of Community Corrections.
The principle obstacles
related to the implementation of Section 62(f) of the Criminal Procedure Act,
1977 are identified as a lack of social workers and multi-skilled personnel to
compile and submit assessment reports to the courts. The post establishment of social workers at Community Corrections
is indicated below.
|
Occupational
class |
Number of
post filled at Community Corrections |
|
|
|
The statistics above,
indicates a gross shortage of social workers taking into account the increasing
number of Community Corrections population.
More social workers should be employed at Community Corrections to
promote efficiency in the Directorate.
The major obstacles to
the effective monitoring of offenders are identified as a lack of sufficient
and suitable vehicles to monitor probationers, parolees and awaiting trial
persons in the system of Community Corrections. The directorate urgently needs an effective system to monitor
offenders placed under Community Corrections on a continuous basis.
The strategic planning session has therefore served to strengthen our resolve
to continue in search of durable, sustainable and long-term solutions to the
problem of overcrowding. The Department
will continue to pursue prison population reduction strategies to combat
overcrowding with our partners in the integrated Justice System.
We have therefore
identified the enhancement of the community corrections system as a key
departmental objective to address overcrowding by diverting low risk awaiting
trial prisoners to community corrections and employing the following strategies
to improve the quality and effectiveness of the system:
·
The improvement of the quality of visitations to probationers and parolees by
correctional officials.
·
The involvement of the family of the offender in the visitation and
rehabilitation process.
·
Bringing community corrections reporting offices closer to the community by
increasing the number of community correction sub- and satellite offices.
9.
CHALLENGES FACING DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
The Department of
Correctional is faced with the following challenges towards engendering the
budget:
·
Due to the fact that Department of Correctional Services budget allocation does
not make provision for gender mainstreaming this place a challenge on the
Department to actively embark on a process of engendering the budget.
·
Establishment of curricula on gender related issues in order to educate and
inform Correctional Officials
·
The need to transform organisational culture, practices and systems in order to
ensure that they are gender sensitive
·
Previously training was gender biased and stereotyped enforcing traditional
roles. There is a need to move towards
provisioning of market related skills training e.g. wood working, welding etc.
for female offenders in line with SAQA requirements
·
The need to align market related training to the needs identified in relevant
SETA Skills Plans and the finalisation of Unit Standards
·
The need to provide gender specific training in order to change attitudes of
male Correctional Officials with regards to gender equality through awareness
raising
·
Encourage victims of sexual harassment to report incidents
·
Current level of spending on incarceration challenges Departmental resources