THE SOUTH AFRICAN PRISONERS ORGANISATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Date 21/03/05
Re:ResponseToBudgetReport
Thank you for outlining a very recommendable report The only issue that I query is that of inmates receiving gratuity for work Here I stand firmly on them receiving a minimum wage salary.
Firstly allowing inmates to pay tax: contributing to their boarding, feeding, clothing, medical care, general facilities etc. costs; lessening the burden on public taxpayers.
Secondly allowing inmates to contribute to their UIF (Unemployment Insurance Funds). Thus ensuring their basic needs can be met when released jobless reducing the likeness of recidivism being one of the biggest problems here.
Thirdly where inmates were responsible for supporting a family, a minimum wage salary could be partly allocated to continuing support. However sufficient Family support would require the social development department to meet halfway to ensure that families and children m particular are given the best future.
Fourthly inmates should pay for their mistakes ensuring that part of their minimum wage salary contributes to a Victims trust Fund that will also have to be met halfway by the justice department; to ensure that sufficient funds are given to victims bettering their future after often extremely traumatic experiences.
Finally in order to ensure inmates labour and constitutional rights they should be members of a trade union This would mean that part of their salary be allocated to membership fees.
A minimum wage salary and its allocation as outlined above would ultimately mean time inmates are made responsible for their actions. This portrayal of inmates means that when they are released society this be able to accept them and farther help with the re-integration of such persons due to the complete rehabilitation.
You have been able to nearly convince me of a constructive future for the correctional Services however you have failed to show- any sign of true accountability. Without an independent committee overseeing the allocation of the budget and quality of the service this report is just 27 pages of non-accountable writing. By independent this means no affiliation with the source of this budget report therefore non-governmental and therefore not the auditor general.
In order to show my true commitment to the reform of the correctional services I would like to present a loose outline of a detailed proposal of how 5 of your programs should be carried out The programs included in the SAPOHR proposal are: Corrections; Care; Development. After-Care and facilities.
Thank you very much for your invitation once again. SAPOHR highly appreciates your Acceptance of our inputs.
However in future we would like travel expenses to be paid for us as well as other organizations that are not able to afford such expenses.